by Jose Andres
First published 2018
Chef José Andrés tells the true story of his relief mission to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. He arrived four days after the hurricane destroyed the economy and left most people without clean water, food, power, gas, or communication. Andrés responded to the humanitarian crisis by doing what he knew best: feeding people one hot meal at a time. He started by serving sancocho with his friend José Enrique at Enrique's damaged restaurant in San Juan. The operation grew rapidly until Andrés and his team were cooking 100,000 meals daily across more than a dozen kitchens throughout the island. They made massive paellas that could feed thousands of people each. The book draws from Andrés's firsthand experience and his meetings, messages, and conversations during his time in Puerto Rico. He describes how community kitchens created real change while confronting both the immediate crisis and deeper systemic problems. Andrés also examines the broken and wasteful systems that keep major charities and NGOs operating. The story shows how hope can emerge from both natural and human disasters.
Genres: history, business, biography-memoir, 21st-century, current-affairs, activism, american-history, food-writing
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, true-story
Setting: Puerto Rico, San Juan
Period: 2017
288 pages · Hardcover · Anthony Bourdain/Ecco