2026

Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen

The 2026 Roger E. Joseph Prize will be presented by Sarah Zampell to Linda Roth, Head of Communications and Strategy at WCK, accepting the Prize on behalf of Chef José Andrés and the World Central Kitchen, at the Ordination Ceremonies of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 10AM, Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York at Fifth Avenue at 65th Street, New York City.

“I cook to bring hope, to solve problems, to feed people in emergencies, to bring families together. I cook every day to empower forgotten citizens, to give them training, and respect. I cook to build longer tables… to lift people’s spirits up.” — Chef José Andrés

“Food, in essence, gives you hope that maybe tomorrow will be better. That’s why a plate of food is so important in those moments.” — Chef José Andrés

A proud "Washingtonian with an accent" Chef José Andrés holds close his identity as a Spanish immigrant and an American citizen, placing upon himself the responsibility of both culinary ambassador and immigrant representing the two nations.

He is a visionary and a humanitarian, establishing World Central Kitchen in 2010 – a first-to-the-frontlines nonprofit organization providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.

His life has been spent thoughtfully communicating about food, boldly responding to crises around the world, standing up for human rights, and encouraging others to make a meaningful difference in the world.

He has been widely recognized for both his culinary and his humanitarian work, including by the James Beard Foundation, which has named him Outstanding Chef and Humanitarian of the Year, TIME Magazine, which included him on the list of 100 Most Influential People in 2012 and 2018, and President Obama, who awarded José the National Humanities Medal in 2015. José and World Central Kitchen have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and Jose was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Biden.

World Central Kitchen, founded in 2010, focuses on providing fresh, nutritious meals immediately following disasters. Their rapid response model bypasses traditional, slower aid methods by partnering with local restaurants. It is recognized for extreme speed in crisis zones and enjoys extremely high trust ratings as a charity.

WCK uses the power of food to nourish communities and strengthen economies in times of crisis and beyond. They provide emergency relief in war-torn areas, and wherever climate and natural disasters strike. After providing immediate relief, WCK delivers programming to ensure system-wide improvements in food security, sustainability, and resilience against future disasters.

World Central Kitchen has served more than 600 million meals in more than 50 countries over the last 15 years. Their work is guided by the belief that food is a universal human right. Food is always provided without conditions.

Links

World Central Kitchen
@WCKitchen on Instagram
/worldcentralkitchen on Facebook