"The French phrase "cordon bleu" means "exceptional cook." But José Andrés is exceptional as a different kind of chef, one who shows up when you are disastrously "blue"—whether you are in war-torn Ukraine or it is Ramadan in your refugee camp in Syria, or your beloved New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Born and raised in Spain, Andrés founded the Washington, DC-based non-profit organization World Central Kitchen (WCK), which brings food to people affected by natural disasters and other crises around the world.

Cordon Disaster
José Ramón Andrés Puerta's (known internationally as José Andrés) interest in cooking came from his father, who regularly made paella, a traditional dish from Valencia, for large groups of people. José was responsible for gathering the wood and building the fire.
Young José's interest in cooking (and poor performance in high school) led him to move to a culinary school in Barcelona, which was excellent preparation to cook in the Spanish Navy. His tour of duty included his first encounters with abject poverty in the favelas of Brazil and the Ivory Coast."