Chef José Andrés Is Helping Feed Firefighters During LA Fires
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 03: José Andrés is seen arriving to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert at Ed Sullivan Theater on May 03, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
Wildfires have left at least five people dead, destroyed more than 2,000 structures, and placed at least 130,000 residents under evacuation orders across Los Angeles County. As the scenes of devastation spread and the fires continue to leave unprecedented damage in what is already being called one of the most expensive fires in the history of the United States, Spanish Chef José Andrés and his nonprofit, World Central Kitchen, have once again mobilized to help residents and firefighters.
The famed chef posted on social media from where he and his nonprofit were working to feed first responders who were trying to contain the fires, saying on X, formerly Twitter: “Here reporting @WCKitchen from Pacific Coast Highway by Palisades….here is a staging/refueling area for Firetrucks and for crews to get some quick rest and food and to get new orders and to go back in. Smoky with ash flying around…they hope winds will totally stop to really get the fire under control….”
He also used the hashtag #ChefsforCalifornia, and shared information about the spread of the fire and evacuation zones.
José Andrés, who famously spent months providing hot meals to Puerto Ricans following Hurricane Maria, has spoken before about how since becoming a US citizen in 2013, he feels it is his duty to step up. “I always felt like I have to give back to America what America has given me,” he told Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes.
At this point, firefighters continue to battle multiple major wildfires, with much of Los Angeles County under a red flag warning through Friday night (January 10). In Palisades, 17,234 acres and numerous homes, businesses, and landmarks in Pacific Palisades burned down. In Eaton the fires spread across 10,600 acres and many structures in Altadena and Pasadena. There have also been smaller fires in Sunset and Hurst.