Jose Andres to Receive Service to America Leadership Award

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, May 24, 2022 | 11:26am CT

Jose Andres (credit: Josh Telles)

The National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF) will present esteemed chef and humanitarian Jose Andres with the Service to America Leadership Award, the Foundation's highest individual honor. The award, which honors an individual's commitment to advocacy and public service, will be presented during the Celebration of Service to America Awards on June 7 at The Anthem in Washington, DC.

Andres is highly acclaimed globally for his avant-garde cuisine served through his restaurant collective, ThinkFoodGroup. Twice honored in Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People" and a New York Times best-selling author, Andres was awarded by President Barack Obama in 2015 the National Humanities Medal, which honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities. In 2021 Andres launched Jose Andres Media, which will produce unscripted and scripted television series, books, podcasts, and digital content with a focus on stories about the power of food.

Through his non-profit, World Central Kitchen (WCK), Andres leads humanitarian efforts to feed communities in need and reduce food insecurity during times of crisis. Andres and his team have served fresh meals to those affected by man-made and natural disasters across six continents, including serving over 3.6 million meals to those affected in Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Most recently, WCK partnered with local leaders, farmers and restaurants to help those experiencing food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and laying the foundation for smarter national food policy. Andres and WCK have been on the ground in Ukraine cooking nonstop since late February, where they have served nearly 30 million meals.

Andres' groundbreaking work with WCK is also the focus of the upcoming documentary film "We Feed People." Produced by National Geographic and directed by Academy Award-winner Ron Howard, the film will premiere on Disney Plus on May 27.

"Jose Andres is a culinary trailblazer, not only in the kitchen but through his dedication to feeding people and communities in need around the world," said NABLF President Michelle Duke. "When disaster strikes, the World Central Kitchen has stepped in to ensure communities have the strength to rebuild and that no one goes hungry. NABLF is honored to celebrate Andres' devotion to combatting food insecurity with the Service to America Leadership Award."

Previous recipients of the Service to America Leadership Award include "Hamilton" creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda, award-winning-artist John Legend, multi-platform country music star Sara Evans and Grammy-winning musician Jon Bon Jovi.

For more information about the awards and event, visit servicetoamericaawards.org.