ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:
When the organization World Central Kitchen travels to parts of the world in crisis, its founder, chef Jose Andres, often goes along.
JOSE ANDRES: In the worst moments of humanity, the best of humanity shows up. Myself, I've been in many. I've been in Gaza, I've been in North Carolina and Israel. I just came from Spain, where I've been in Valencia. I've been in many this year, unfortunately.
SCHMITZ: Earlier this year, World Central Kitchen pulled out of Gaza temporarily when seven of its workers were killed in Israeli strikes. They returned a few weeks later.
ANDRES: There is the very big moral question - do we go, or we don't go? Do we watch from outside, or we go and we try to help next to the people that are suffering?
SCHMITZ: I asked chef Andres how he finds food in places that are at war.
ANDRES: Well, usually, local is always best. In the early days of Ukraine, supermarkets were closing. People were leaving their cities, or even their country. But what Central Kitchen began doing was kind of recreate a temporary system of making sure we were able to be feeding locals. That means that sometimes we will find a way to be buying from local farmers. In the process of providing aid, you're helping, in a way, the local economy. In the early days of Gaza, we were serving fresh fish. Why? Because it was from fish factories that they couldn't be running any longer, and we use as much and as quick of all the fish they had. Plans, very often, they don't seem to work. But when you adapt, everything is possible.
SCHMITZ: So chef Andres, it is Thanksgiving season. You know, this is a time when families in the United States come together, a holiday often celebrated with food. How important is this holiday to you?
ANDRES: Well, without realizing, I've been already almost 32, 33 years in the United States of America. And Thanksgiving, very often, we do it in my house. That is this moment of coming together, of celebrating longer tables, bringing people that is the first time they have a Thanksgiving. It becomes a very powerful moment, celebrating the goodness of the Earth.
SCHMITZ: What are the dishes that you typically make on this day?
ANDRES: Listen. If I don't do turkey, my three American-born daughters will not be happy with me. So it'll always be turkey.
SCHMITZ: (Laughter).
ANDRES: But I will not lie to you if I don't tell you that we push the boundaries. Sometimes, we've done a turkey paella, bringing my country traditions.
SCHMITZ: The southern Spanish influence there, yes.
ANDRES: Yeah. I mean, I've done baby pig - roasted cochinillo - next to the turkey, bringing other meats into the equation. And as garnishes, obviously, the gravy will be part of this amazing celebration in many ways or forms. Some years, we'll make a very beautiful mushroom soup. That is a soup I love. It's great mushrooms in America. But I'll make pumpkin soup, or I'll make, you know, this mashed potato. That one, they'll be with a lot of cream and butter and other years will be more with a Spanish olive oil. Tell me what I find in the farmer's market, and very, very often, it's what you're going to see me serving on my Thanksgiving meal.
SCHMITZ: In other words, you adapt.
ANDRES: Adaptation wins the day. I do believe it's such a beauty when you are able to prepare.
SCHMITZ: It's been a stressful year for you, your organization and, for that matter, the whole world. I'm wondering, what are you most thankful for this holiday season?
ANDRES: Well, I'm 55. I have three beautiful daughters. They are growing up, young adults - strong, smart - that they know what they want. And it's the meaning of Thanksgiving. Family seems - it's family by decision when all those daughters and sons and family members, they decide to come back home. And this is one of the most beautiful things when we are together reunited, not because you're born in the family but because you choose to keep coming back for your family.
SCHMITZ: That's chef Jose Andres, founder of World Central Kitchen. Chef Andres, thank you.
ANDRES: Thank you for having me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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