As freezing temperatures left millions in Texas without power or access to clean water last month, World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit organization founded by chef José Andrés, partnered with local restaurants to provide some relief.

The mission of World Central Kitchen, according to their website, is to partner with local organizations and kitchens to provide “freshly made, nutritious meals to survivors of disasters quickly and effectively.” They work all over the world, including in Houston during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and Beaumont, Texas during Hurricane Laura in 2020.

After last months' storm, the organization started their work in Houston, and then quickly expanded to four other cities, providing tens of thousands of meals in a few days. In Houston, Burns Original BBQ prepared chopped beef sandwiches, while Thai restaurant Street to Kitchen provided pad thai. In Austin, New American restaurant Sala & Betty made beef stroganoff with toast and green beans. Other restaurants chose to work independently to provide meals for the community, according to Eater Austin.

World Central Kitchen has been active across the country throughout the pandemic in response to a growing rate of food insecurity. Their Restaurants for the People program, which was already active in Houston, pays local restaurants to provide fresh meals for residents in need. By last July, the program had partnered with 2,400 restaurants and caterers to serve more than 200,000 meals a day, according to the Food and Environment Reporting Network.

Andrés and World Central Kitchen have been advocating for the FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries Act (or FEED Act), which has the support of a bipartisan group of senators. The legislation would provide additional federal funding to pay small and mid-sized restaurants to partner with aid organizations in their communities. On February 2nd, President Joe Biden issued an executive order that does exactly that, directing FEMA to cover 100% of the costs for restaurants to partner with nonprofits to provide free meals. Nate Mook, CEO of World Central Kitchen, celebrated the order, noting that it would help businesses keep running and make sure that restaurant workers “don't become food insecure themselves.”

Read More:

Chef José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen Partners With Good Work Austin to Feed Austinites Affected by Storm-Eater Austin

WCK activates in Texas through power outages & freezing cold-World Central Kitchen

Biden order upping FEMA cost share allows restaurants to get paid in full to feed the hungry-Food and Environment Reporting Network