About
World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a Washington, DC–based nonprofit founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés and his wife Patricia after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Built on the belief that food is a universal human right, WCK is "first to the frontlines, providing fresh meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises." Rather than shipping in packaged rations, WCK cooks and serves freshly made meals, working with local chefs, restaurants, and food producers in affected communities. To date the organization reports having served more than 884 million meals.
Mission
WCK's approach is grounded in the conviction that "a nourishing meal in a time of crisis is so much more than a plate of food—it's hope, it's dignity, and it's a sign that someone cares." The organization describes its methodology as quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real time.
What they do
- Emergency food relief: preparing and distributing fresh meals to communities hit by hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and other disasters, as well as climate-related crises.
- Conflict and humanitarian response: dedicated operations such as Chefs for Ukraine and Chefs for Gaza, plus responses to refugee crises and pandemic relief.
- Chef Corps: a global network of culinary leaders who help lead responses.
- Legacy resilience programs: initiatives such as Clean Cooking and the École des Chefs culinary school in Haiti, and a five-year Food Producer Network that supported small food producers across Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Guatemala, and the US Virgin Islands.
Recent and ongoing relief activations listed by WCK span Nepal, Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Southern California, Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine, and Colombia.
History
WCK was founded in 2010 following the Haiti earthquake. In 2017 the organization shifted decisively toward emergency relief after Hurricane Harvey and expanded dramatically during its Hurricane María response in Puerto Rico, where it served nearly 4 million fresh meals. Since then WCK has grown from responding mainly to natural disasters into an organization that also serves communities affected by conflict, displacement, and pandemics, operating somewhere in the world every single day.
Scale and impact
- More than 884 million meals served since founding, per WCK's website.
- Nearly 4 million fresh meals served after Hurricane María alone.
- Simultaneous active responses across multiple countries and continents.
Financials
According to the organization's IRS filings summarized by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, World Central Kitchen Incorporated reported revenue of approximately 327.8 million dollars, expenses of approximately 299.3 million dollars, and total assets of approximately 221.6 million dollars for fiscal year 2024. The organization is a 501(c)(3) whose tax exemption was established in January 2012.
Governance
José Andrés serves as Founder and Chief Feeding Officer.