This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s new guide to Washington DC
Chef José Andrés is known for going where people need him most — from Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa to war-torn Gaza and Ukraine, where the non-profit he founded, World Central Kitchen, serves as many as 700,000 hot meals per day. But during the US Government shutdown, the chef found himself closer to home. For weeks, World Central Kitchen fed furloughed federal workers in Washington DC.
Andrés grew up in Catalonia, but Washington has been his home for more than 30 years. It’s hard to underestimate the influence his first restaurant, Jaleo, has had on American dining. In 1993, it was one of the first Spanish restaurants in the country, introducing diners to tapas and creating a revolution of small sharing plates in modern restaurants. His restaurant group now owns seven spots in Washington, and 40 around the world.
World Central Kitchen serves as many as 700,000 hot meals per day around the world . . . © Chien-Chi Chang/Magnum Photos
. . . in November, they distributed meals in Washington during the US government shutdown © Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
