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 [ SAY WHAT? ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=376)

#  Longer Tables: When Food Becomes Hope

July 21 2022

Written by Abby Zimet.

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SAY WHAT? - Because the world is too much with us, today we choose to celebrate humanitarian, hero, mensch and chef José Andrés, who with his extraordinary [**World Central Kitchen h**](https://wck.org)as now served over 100 million meals to besieged [**Ukrainians ](https://wck.org/en-us/news/100-million-meals-in-ukraine)- in bunkers, at the border, in their often remote, rubble-strewn homes. With its mindless, pointed destruction of ports, borders and food supply chains, Andrés charges, Putin's war of hubris has also quickly become "a [**war on food**](https://twitter.com/chefjoseandres/status/1548827556597596160)." In response, WCKhas created the largest humanitarian effort in Ukraine, with an "army of goodness" - thousands of volunteer [**food-fighters**](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FoodFighters?src=hashtag_click) both local and international - producing over 300,000 meals a day at 350 kitchens across Ukraine. The [**Chefs for Ukraine**](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChefsForUkraine?src=hashtag_click&f=live) run a three-pronged operation: feeding refugees in the neighboring countries to which many Ukrainian women and children have fled - Poland, Hungary, Slovakia - activating hundreds of kitchens in towns inside the war-torn country to feed those who remain, and stockpiling and transporting food so communities can cook for themselves.

In the process, Andrés declared [**marking**](https://twitter.com/chefjoseandres/status/1548827556597596160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1548827556597596160%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcrooksandliars.com%2F2022%2F07%2Fworld-central-kitchen-hits-milestone-100m) his 100 millionth meal served, they are "lifting up people - all of a sudden, food becomes hope." The road can be rough: On Easter, one of their kitchens was [**destroyed ](https://www.npr.org/2022/04/18/1093390730/humanitarian-restaurant-ukraine-chef-jose-andres-destroyed-missile)by a missile, with several injuries; Andrés [**appeared ](https://twitter.com/chefjoseandres/status/1515802156196106241?s=20&t=Dhv8EQipfpUMGkCYOPS1fA)in a video, alternately grim and hopeful, to note, "The best of humanity shows up amidst the worst of humanity." Still, for him the[ fight ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thFmcnXboyE)is always through food. "We do the only thing we know," he says. "Food is only a bandaid, but a plate of food is also sometimes the beginning of a better tomorrow." Hope against hope.[ Send**](https://donate.wck.org/give/394390#!/donation/checkout) these people some money, and give this man a Nobel Peace Prize already.

[Watch.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thFmcnXboyE&t=2s)

*(*[***Abby Zimet***](https://www.commondreams.org/author/abby-zimet) *has written CD's* [***Further***](https://www.commondreams.org/further) *column since 2008. A longtime, award-winning journalist, involved in women's, labor, anti-war, social justice and refugee rights issues. Email:* [*azimet18@gmail.com*](mailto:azimet18@gmail.com)*)*

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