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Eating Well/World Central Kitchen
Spanish-born celebrity chef José Andrés received a Presidential Medal of Freedom last week.His fans around the country may love his updated takes on tapas at whimsical restaurants like Jaleo and The Bazaar, but it’s his philanthropy that’s gained him the most adoration. And in the face of disaster, Andrés isn’t one to rest on his laurels.
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World Central Kitchen has leapt into action to aid the roughly 30,000 evacuees who require nourishment. As of January 9, World Central Kitchen had set up fivemeal distribution sitesfor first responders and the public. They are offering free hot food at sites that run the gamut from gas stations to the Rose Bowl Stadium.
Food trucks have been instrumental in the efforts. In Santa Monica, chef Cristian Barajas’ Gordo Hibachi fed firefighters shrimp with rice and noodles. Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger set up their Socalo Border Grill catering truck at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to provide meals for 600 people on the first night of service.
Just this morning, Andrés was setting up a drive-thru distribution site in Altadena, where he linked up with Dulan’s on Crenshaw and Hotville Chicken to serve vegan jambalaya and plates of chicken to displaced folks and first responders.
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Andrés himself has been at the center of it all, trekking around to all kinds of outposts. “They’re heroes,” Andrés said inone Instagram videothat showed him setting up with sandwiches, fruit and water at a gas station in a section of the Pacific Coast Highway identified as a staging/refueling area for first responders. “They are the best of the best, man,” he said of the firefighters.
Want to help in your own way? You can joinWorld Central Kitchen’s Volunteer Corpsto assist with sandwich and hot food preparation or delivery. If you can’t make it to California, there are countless ways todonate fundsto the efforts, includingstarting a fundraiser.
For those who prefer to keep their donations ultra-local, theLos Angeles Food Bankis accepting both food and financial aid. You can follow the County of Los Angeles’semergency pagefor updates on the wildfires, including lists of open shelters, water notices, road closures and more. For information about other places to access food if you need it, the Los Angeles Times is constantly updatinga list of restaurantsthat are offering shelter and food.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.The White House.President Biden announces recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.The White House.President Biden announces recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
The White House.President Biden announces recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
