After winning multiple James Beard awards and popularizing the concept of small-plates dining, José Andrés could have rested on his laurels. Instead, he has fed millions of people in disaster areas and war zones as the founder of World Central Kitchen—and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (twice).
What do you think is your biggest contribution to culture?
For more than 30 years I have been saying that I think every single American should be cooking paella in their backyard, and we are forever getting closer to that goal. With my new cookbook Spain My Way coming out in just a few months, I think even more people will be excited to make paella for themselves!
What’s one work of art that got you through an important moment in your life?
Many times in the face of disaster and devastation, I think of the great words of John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath: “Wherever there’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there.” That is the heart of World Central Kitchen: We will be there.
What keeps you up at night?
How is it possible that we are spending so much money on what they call “defense spending” and not making sure that humanity can feed itself? With only a small percentage of the U.S.’s defense budget, we could feed every single person on Earth. How could that not keep us all up at night?
When you were little, what were you known for?
As a boy, I was the one who would be helping my father make paella on the weekends for our friends and family. I would beg him to let me cook the paella, but he always put me in charge of tending the fire. “First, you must learn to control the fire,” he would say. That is the foundation of everything.
What are you looking forward to this year?
Joining my friend Spider-Man in the Marvel Universe! It is unbelievable to be on the same pages as my heroes in Meals to Astonish #1. I keep waiting for someone to tell me this whole thing is a prank.
Where do you feel most at home?
Scuba diving in the sea, floating with the creatures around me. To be weightless is the most extraordinary feeling.
When’s the last time you laughed hysterically?
Probably with Stephen Colbert. He is one of the funniest people on earth.
What would you wear to meet your greatest enemy?
Empathy.
What grounds you, and what invigorates you?
My girls. I have three strong, beautiful, wise daughters who don’t let me get away with anything!
To read more from the 2026 CULT100 honorees, see the full list here.
in your life?
