José Andrés Is Shutting Down His Charity's Main Puerto Rico Kitchen For This Awesome Reason

José Andrés' World Central Kitchen has announced that they will be refocusing their efforts in Puerto Rico to better serve the most vulnerable communities. They announced via a press release that the central cooking and feeding operations at the Coliseo in San Juan will close today, October 26, and that the charity organization will be setting up satellite kitchens in remote areas including Ponce, Vieques, Humacao, and Naguabo.

"Now is the time to support local businesses so Puerto Rico can rebuild. We need to focus on the people who still need our help — the people in remote areas, the elderly, and the sick," said Andrés, who is both chairman and founder of the organization, via the release.

Andrés indicated World Central Kitchen's next goal is to set up 18 satellite kitchens that feed all 78 municipalities of Puerto Rico. So far, the chef has achieved every goal he has set on his rescue mission to aid the devastated population of Puerto Rico. Andrés, in conjunction with World Central Kitchen, has served over 1.9 million meals since arriving in the U.S. territory on September 25.

The charity has also enlisted plenty of local help: Chef Ventura Vivoni of Restaurante Vida Ventura; chef Eva Bolivar of Restaurante Bili and chef Carlos Perez of El Blok in Vieques; and chef Kalych Padro at an Ejida in Humacao will all assist in satellite kitchens. World Central Kitchen will also continue to operate an existing satellite kitchen in Naguabo at the Iglesia de Jesucristo Monte Moriah.

According to the nonprofit, World Central Kitchen has mobilized the most significant food relief operation on the island, and has now become the largest "restaurant" in the world (in less than two weeks!). This is just one of the many reasons why José Andrés is the hero everyone needs.