This really funky roof line will one day be home to Jaleo – A José Andrés Restaurant in Disney Springs. The location will feature authentic Spanish cuisine in a modern welcoming environment. The Disney Springs location will be the biggest location yet for Chef Andrés’ Jaleo brand.
You may heard about Chef José in the news based on the work he has done feeding survivors of natural disasters in Puerto Rico, Central California, and Houston (and before that Haiti). For that work, and more, he was just awarded Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard foundation. Chef José is a multiple James Beard Award-winning chef and a committed advocate of food and hunger issues.
“José’s work in Puerto Rico and Haiti shows how chefs can use their expertise and unique skills to enact profound change on a global scale,” said Mitchell Davis, Executive Vice President of the Foundation. “He has demonstrated how, at the most difficult times, hot-cooked meals provide more than nutrition, they provide dignity. José’s work serves as an important reminder of how precious and nourishing food can be. And we couldn’t imagine a more fitting honoree this year as we celebrate how chefs and our industry rise.”
“I am honored to be receiving and sharing this award with my team at World Central Kitchen, #ChefsforPuertoRico, #ChefsforCalifornia, good friends like Robert Egger and LA Kitchen, DC Central Kitchen and all of the incredible people I have been fortunate to meet over the years through the simple act of cooking a hot meal. Whether it’s teaching and preparing a meal alongside people who have just started a new chapter, empowering communities through clean cook stoves, or cooking meals for people who have experienced unimaginable devastation, I’ve learned that food is powerful. It nourishes, but it also has the power to be an agent of hope and change,” commented Andrés
The first Jaleo opened 25 years ago in April 1993 in Washington DC. The Disney Springs location is expected to open later this year. For more on Chef Jose’s charity work visit World Central Kitchen online.
Photo credit: Photo of José Andrés by Aaron Clamage