Cleveland Rights Readers discuss We Fed an Island by Jose Andres.
Chef Jose Andres arrived in Puerto Rico four days after Hurricane Maria ripped through the island. The economy was destroyed and for most people there was no clean water, no food, no power, no gas, and no way to communicate with the outside world. Andrâes addressed the humanitarian crisis the only way he knew how: by feeding people, one hot meal at a time. From serving sancocho with his friend Josâe Enrique at Enrique's ravaged restaurant in San Juan to eventually cooking 100,000 meals a day at more than a dozen kitchens across the island, Andrâes and his team fed hundreds of thousands of people, including with massive paellas made to serve thousands of people alone. At the same time, they also confronted a crisis with deep roots, as well as the broken and wasteful system that helps keep some of the biggest charities and NGOs in business. Based on Andrâes's insider's take as well as on meetings, messages, and conversations he had while in Puerto Rico, We Fed an Island movingly describes how a network of community kitchens activated real change and tells an extraordinary story of hope in the face of disasters both natural and man-made, offering suggestions for how to address a crisis like this in the future. Beyond that, a portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to the Chef Relief Network of World Central Kitchen for efforts in Puerto Rico and beyond.
"In the days and weeks after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, José Andrés seemed to always be in constant motion. . . but it's only in the pages of this book that the scale of their contribution becomes clear. What an amazing story!"--Anderson Cooper
"When disaster hit Puerto Rico, José Andrés didn't wait . . . His big heart and boundless energy could not be restrained by red tape. People were hungry, and José is a chef. Chefs feed people. . . He is a leader, an innovator, and a true hero."--Anthony Bourdain
José Andrés is a Michelin-starred, James Beard Award-winning chef, and was named among Time's "100 Most Influential People." He is the founder and chairman of World Central Kitchen, the NGO behind #ChefsForPuertoRico, and cofounder of ThinkFoodGroup, which has more than thirty restaurants around the world. He is also the author of three cookbooks and the New York Times best-selling We Fed an Island, which describes how Andrés and his team cooked for hundreds of thousands of hungry Americans in Puerto Rico after the devastation of Hurricane Maria.
In accordance with social distancing guidelines, this meeting will take place via Zoom. Contact us for the link.
The book will be available at Mac's Backs or through our website at the 20% book club discount.