World Kitchen Central founder Jose Andres wiped away tears as he described feeding waves of arriving refugees fleeing Ukraine against the backdrop of a bloody invasion led by Vladimir-Putin.
More than 500,000 Ukrainians have fled their country since Putin’s troops launched an unprovoked takeover attempt last week that killed more than 350 civilians.
Most of those fleeing the war-torn nation are women and children who have taken refuge in neighboring Poland through eight checkpoints erected along the 300-mile border.
In a tearful message filmed Monday night while it was snowing in Rzeszow, Poland, Andres described in detail how he struggled to reconcile his own comforts with the difficulties of Ukrainians fleeing their homeland by car, train and on foot.
“Obviously all the people of Poland, as well as all the people in the world, are currently Ukrainians,” said the famous chef. “As you can see, the snow is coming as we talk, the temperatures are really freezing and I will go to the comfort of my hotel like many of us in the comfort of our homes.
“It is difficult to know that even at this time there are mostly women with children who spend hours from Ukraine safely in different countries,” he continued. “Every country welcomes them and every country does its best, but it’s hard to know that there are people walking the streets or spending the night in a gas-free car with no way to warm up.”
World Kitchen Central founder Jose Andres led a delegation of other chefs to Poland to feed thousands of Ukrainians desperately fleeing their country
More than 500,000 Ukrainians have fled their country since Putin’s troops launched an unprovoked takeover attempt last week that killed more than 350 civilians. People are pictured at a train station in Kyiv, hoping to ride outside the city, on March 1, 2022.
Andres mobilized a team of chefs to help greet arriving Ukrainians with hot, nutritious food.
In a series of tweets and accompanying videos, he described in detail how he and his colleagues worked in sub-zero temperatures to meet refugees whose lives have been thrown into chaos and insecurity.
“We will do our best not to let them down!” He said.
Since his team at World Kitchen Central arrived to help, they have set up dining venues at all eight border crossings in Poland as well as in Romania.
His colleague. The organization’s CEO Nate Mook described on Twitter the chaos he witnessed first hand.
“Last night I was in Ukraine on the border with Poland, serving hundreds of families fleeing the invasion,” he tweeted. “Exhausted, they waited in line for 20-30 hours. Their friendly smiles dispelled the tragedy and uncertainty of what was to come.
World Kitchen Central has expanded its efforts by setting up food stations at all eight Polish border crossings
The nonprofit distributed 10,000 dishes on Monday and is expected to share 25,000 plates on Tuesday. IT also expanded in Romania, where a woman was seen eating with a child on Tuesday in Stefanes
Families who have spent hours or even days reaching safer land are pictured queuing for hot chicken stew, soup, tea and apple pie in Korcova, Poland on February 26th.
Smiling refugees are depicted gathered and sipping soup after crossing the Polish border in Korcova, Poland on February 26
He and others also distributed sandwiches, fresh fruit and chocolate to hundreds of cars waiting for more than 30 hours.
Mook said his nonprofit was not the only one helping; farmers were spotted handing out eggs and sausages, where a food truck was carrying bowls of shoulder noodles.
He said a volunteer had traveled from London to help.
“He had never fired a gun in his life and decided that the best way to fight was to serve food,” Mook told Wall Street Journal. “We see people who are eager to help.”
He said the non-profit organization distributed 10,000 dishes on Monday and is expected to share 25,000 plates on Tuesday.
“It is difficult to know that even at this time there are mostly women with children who spend hours from Ukraine safely in different countries,” Andres said of the people he helps.
More than 350 civilians have been killed since the conflict began. Smoke can be seen rising from a TV tower in Kyiv, hit by a blow from Russia on March 1, 2022.
A gunman stands near the wreckage of a Russian military vehicle in Bucha, Ukraine, March 1, 2022.
As head of the mission, Andres is well known for stepping up to help those in need around the world.
After Puerto Rico was devastated by a hurricane in 2017, for example, the Spanish-born chef flew in to offer relief by serving 20,000 meals a day in helpless communities.
Now in Eastern Europe, Andres – who owns a Michelin-starred restaurant in Washington – said his priority is to help those facing the darkest hour.
He called on others to help where they could – and to open their eyes to the atrocities that are taking place.
“Why are we putting young men and women in this position?” Andres said. “We haven’t learned enough from the horrors of the past?” People, we need to speak out against leaders who break support. We cannot allow more Putin than the world. We cannot use life as a monopoly. Life is not a game of monopoly. Life is real.
He concluded the video with a final blow to Putin and his supporters: “Anyone who has ever thought of saying that Putin is a good leader should be ashamed. Anyone who supports people who say Putin is a good leader should be more ashamed of it.
“These are people who think that life is a monopoly.”