The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope

This book is powerful and inspirational….on so many levels
I received my copy just a couple of hours ago. Disclaimer: I haven’t yet made a single recipe from this book, but I will. But I’m not going to let that stop me from writing a review from what I see so far.I am an accomplished home cook, taking the art of cooking seriously, but not obsessively. I own way over 400 cookbooks as I am not only a collector, but I love to cook the recipes of my favorite chefs, personalities, cuisines, and containing my favorite ingredients. My family has diverse palates but we also have our westernized favorites. We spend more time eating at home than we do eating at restaurants. Thus, I don’t just buy cookbooks to read through them. I actually use them, make notes as I go, and learn from the techniques and introduction to new foods with every page. That’s how I get inspiration and that’s how i become a better home cook!I have always admired Jose Andres, long before WCK but even moreso when WCK was founded. My family has supported many charitable causes, but I was especially moved to hear and learn of how Jose Andres managed to make a simple act of “doing something” when Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico (just a year after my family visited the beautiful country and people for the first time), I knew that this chef and his mission were extraordinary. I wish I could be like him in so many ways.So when I learned that a cookbook was in the works with proceeds to support WCK’s response efforts, I preordered it right away. Reading as much as I could in the past 2 hrs, I am NOT disappointed.First of all, the book is beautiful in ways that I didn’t know a cookbook could be. Sure, the quality of the binding is good, the food photos are lovely and the layout is sensible, but it is much, much more than that. The chapters are divided based on the values of WCK: Empathy, Urgency, Adaptation, Hope, Community, Resilience, Joy, and Building Blocks. That in itself sets the tone of the book. The recipes? I haven’t made any yet but so far, each one is making me drool. As it is said in the book, these are “universal comfort foods.” We’re not talking about just western comfort foods either. There’s a couple of those (mac & cheese, chix pot pie) but mostly these are dishes that were made with local ingredients during a disaster in the region using the tools, resources, and labor available….for tens of thousands of hungry, devastated individuals. If I am not inspired, then I am deeply humbled.These dishes fed the people’s bodies but nourished their souls…with comfort. So many delicious dishes that may be familiar to some and unfamiliar to others, but enticing notheless. I can’t even list them all! Many latin influences, but also there’s curries, gumbo, sandos, fish, lamb, and steaks. There’s a Firefighter Chili, a banana bread recipe, borscht, some boozy drinks, and a turkey bolognese! There are some ingredients listed that will be a challenge for me to find (ie, conch, passion fruit puree, pidgeon peas) but I am not worried. I live in a big city and substitutions or omissions are always an option.So what sets this book apart aside from the glorious homey recipes? It’s the people, the makeshift kitchens, and the community spirit that were captured in the raw pictures and countless stories that really makes me feel this book has soul. That these recipes served a purpose greater than just to provide flavor and calories. They are recipes, born or modified out of necessity, but created out of a sincerity to help and to show love and support without judgement or without asking for anything in return, and who better to do that than an accomplished chef with a big heart who definitely knows his way around a kitchen. This is a book that exemplifies the crossroads between food and humanity. How can I not be moved by that and not be inspired to cook even just one of these dishes for my own family? But don’t be fooled: These are still recipes worthy of a special meal.Let us not forget…Jose Andres is an enigma on his own. His numerous culinary accomplishments (worked at El Bulli, owns Michelin STARS, Bib Gourmands, cooked with Ferran Adria, is a teacher with honorary doctorates from Harvard, Tufts, and Georgetown, and is a successful restauranteur as well as a global humanitarian who arrived in the USA in his 20’s with $50 in his pocket) cannot be dismissed. If there were someone I would trust to cook something nourishing AND delicious in a makeshift tent during a crisis with an unreliable electricity source and limited water, it would be THIS GUY.That being said, I fully understand that the recipes may not be for everyone for whatever reason. Recipes may contain ingredients that some people can’t or won’t eat. Maybe the recipes take too long to make. Jose says in the books that he tried to make the recipes accessible to the average kitchen (without sacrificing the essence of the cuisine as much as possible) and I can see that. The recipes aren’t complicated whatsoever. But…if you like to explore different flavors that may not be mainstream to you, plus if you are inspired by Jose Andres and are interested in reading about the background, travel, and experiences of WCK helping with disasters all over the world, while their volunteers cook up some bussin’ food to people in need, then you may find this book just as amazing I do.(PS. Edited for numerous typos.)

Inspirational
This is a wonderful book not just for the amazing recipes But for the selfless and loving people around the world who help FEED ALL PEOPLE in Need !! I will plan on buying this book as gifts because it shows what Love & Hope that we all have for our fellow citizens of this planet !! “One World One Love”🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🌎

Love the book and it supports a great cause
This book has a lot of great recipes I’ve not seen elsewhere. I’ve not had a chance to cook them yet for several reasons, but I really want to get on them. It’s a real bonus that the proceeds benefit WCK. They came into our area after Hurricane Helene. someone I know whose server job was wiped out by Helene ended up employed by WCK while they were here and she has been effusive about both their work and how they treat their people.

Eat Good. Be Good.
I am not a cook but it doesn’t matter with this book. The recipes provided by chef Jose Andres and his many friends are marvelous. But equally marvelous are the wonderful stories that are told throughout of people, of places and of love.Love of the people. Love of the countries. and of course, love of the food. Put it all together with some marvelous pictures and you have a book you will treasure. If you get it, you can feel that are doing good, in a way by supporting the World Central Kitchen and his mission to help people in need. But you’ll also become good, reading all the fascinating stories and advice. And you will definite eat good.You never know. You might also become a good cook.

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El libro contextualiza las recetas en su entorno geográfico. Gran libro que apoya un gran proyecto.