Welcome to our collection of insightful and inspiring quotes by Jose Andres, a renowned chef, humanitarian, and advocate for social change through food. Jose Andres is not just a culinary icon but also a visionary whose passion for cooking is matched by his dedication to making a difference in the world. Through his innovative culinary creations and his commitment to disaster relief efforts and food insecurity initiatives, Andres has become a leading voice in the intersection of food, culture, and social justice.
Born in Spain, Jose Andres’s journey to becoming one of the most influential figures in the culinary world has been marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a profound belief in the power of food to transform lives. As the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that provides meals to those affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises around the globe, Andres has demonstrated the immense potential of food as a tool for positive change. His quotes encapsulate his philosophy on food, creativity, and the importance of using one’s talents to serve others. Below, you’ll find a selection of Jose Andres quotes that are sure to inspire and uplift.
We still have to keep betting on markets like America that are full of opportunities to grow, even if we have to work our heads off to do it. Jose Andres
I remember that at the beginning of the month, the kind of menus my mom and father would prepare for us would have fish, chicken. But at the end of the month – because my father would be waiting for paycheck – the refrigerator would get empty. I remember that without a lot of food left, some of the best meals happened right there. Jose Andres
When you become an American, they give you an injection so your accent changes. Jose Andres
If you have some potatoes, green beans and cauliflower, you have a heck of a dish that can feed an entire family. Jose Andres
In 2010, I created World Central Kitchen as a way to try and help find solutions to many of the food issues we face. Jose Andres
I don’t believe in traditional company structures because the best ideas do not always come from the top. Jose Andres
Iberico de Bellota is best when cooked medium rare with a nice, pink center to allow the delicious acorn-infused flavor to come through. Jose Andres
Our brain, our body, craves fat. We cannot help it. That’s why a kid will eat a hot dog quicker than a piece of broccoli. Jose Andres
When you go to watch a baseball game, when you go to watch an NBA game, when you watch an NFL game, when you go to watch movies, the offering that those arenas are doing foodwise is ‘all the hot dogs you can eat’; all the French fries you can eat; for $20 you can eat 20 hot dogs. Jose Andres
Without a doubt, one of my favorite American ingredients is blue crabs, a true delicacy! And a great value, I think. Jose Andres
Women’s cooking has always had a big influence on me personally. Jose Andres
Cotton candy is the most amazing form of caramelization ever invented by man. Jose Andres
My mother and I were born in Mieres, Asturias, the most beautiful region you’ll ever see in Europe and the home of Cabrales, a great blue cheese made in the Asturian mountains. When I was young, we moved to Barcelona. Whenever my mother was homesick for Asturias, she’d eat a little piece of Cabrales to bring her closer to Mieres. Jose Andres
Dorado Beach’s rich history provided amazing inspiration to put forward a bold menu celebrating the legacy of the people and cuisine that shaped this unique destination and to push me to share some of my own stories. Jose Andres
Anyone who knows me knows that I have never been shy about how important Ferran Adria has been in my life; he is a friend, a mentor, an inspiration. Jose Andres
I don’t think anybody can claim success at any part of our lives, private or professional, if there are others that don’t enjoy the same opportunities. Jose Andres
Eating has to be fun. Jose Andres
In Hong Kong, ‘wonton’ means swallowing a cloud. Jose Andres
I think every chef should have a food truck. It’s a good way to test the markets, to invest in meeting the future restaurant goers. Jose Andres
I think when dishes have a certain amount of acidity, really they are very alive. And I love things that are alive. Jose Andres
I love America! Jose Andres
I believe no chef becomes what he becomes without having many people influence him. Jose Andres
Old cookbooks connect you to your past and explain the history of the world. Jose Andres
If what I have to do is share a sandwich to lift someone’s spirits, put a smile on their face – the worst thing that happens is I go broke! Jose Andres
Food is national security. Food is craft. Food is everything, when you think about it. Jose Andres
Today we take New England clam chowder as something traditional that makes our roots as American cooking very solid, with a lot of foundation. But the first person who decided to mix potatoes and clams and bacon and cream, in his own way 100 to 200 years ago, was a modernist. Jose Andres
IBM has research and development; so do Microsoft and Nike and even Jose Andres. But there hasn’t been enough R&D on feeding people in the Third World. This has to be part of the process; if not, we’ll keep throwing money at the problem instead of investing in true solutions. Jose Andres
A plancha is just a hot flat surface. So if you think about it, anything is a plancha, like a saute pan or a griddle. A la plancha is the perfect way to cook for a crowd. Jose Andres
Let me ask you: Who do you prefer, a clown organizing your menu – with all due respect to Mr. McDonald – or a chef? I do believe it’s a very simple answer. Jose Andres
I always say that I don’t believe I’m a chef. I try to be a storyteller. Jose Andres
When you use a simple gelatin like collagen, you can get flavor that is 100 percent pure, maybe event 150 percent. Jose Andres
I want e by Jose Andres to be a discovery, to be a journey. I want people to find it and be astonished. Jose Andres
Most people only use their griddles for pancakes, but you can sear vegetables like sliced zucchini or mushrooms, thinly sliced meats like chicken or pork, or thinly sliced fish or squid. Jose Andres
I love Ozomatli, this L.A. band that makes great coffee. They are half American, half Mexican, their coffee’s great, and they’re very good friends. Jose Andres
Steakhouses serve these big steaks. The first piece is hot, and the last piece is cold. The way I like to eat is to try three or four cuts of meat. People should actually be eating less meat, and the meat they eat should be special. Jose Andres
My love for artichokes comes from when I was very young. My mother and father would slice the hearts and fry them, and they would be crispy around the leaves and tender at the base. Jose Andres
I realized very early the power of food to evoke memory, to bring people together, to transport you to other places, and I wanted to be a part of that. Jose Andres
I love to talk about cooking and recipes, but I love as much talking about how food and cooking can change the world. Jose Andres
It is time to embrace and celebrate ketchup, not be ashamed of it. Jose Andres
Recipes are overrated. Jose Andres
I started culinary school at a very young age, and really I wanted to be out working, cooking, more than I wanted to be in a classroom. You could say I wasn’t a very good student – I wanted to be a student of life and experience. Jose Andres
I’m a different immigrant. My life is so lucky compared to so many. Jose Andres
My family and I cook at home almost every day together. The kitchen is the central and most important room in the house; it’s a great way for us to connect. We love going to the farmer’s market on Sundays as a family and choosing the ingredients together. Jose Andres
For food to be romantic, it should be light. Too many times people plan a romantic meal, and the food is too heavy. Jose Andres
People ask me in Europe, when they do interviews… they ask me, ‘Well, how does it feel to be a cook in a country that doesn’t know how to eat?’ It always touches a nerve, because Europe and the world think that America is no more than bad hot dogs and bad burgers. Jose Andres
Standing around the grill is fine, but I like to have my friends come in and out of the house. Movement makes the party more exciting. Jose Andres
Everyting starts to happen at my home at 7 A. M., 7:20, when you hear the orange juicer. That means my daughters are already making the fresh Clementine juice. Jose Andres
For me, summer hasn’t really started until tomatoes reappear in local farmers’ markets. Jose Andres
The modernity of yesterday is the tradition of today, and the modernity of today will be tradition tomorrow. Jose Andres
The only way to have a better world and end poverty is by closing the gap between the top and the bottom. Jose Andres
Anyone who knows me knows that I always like to keep moving. Jose Andres
Gelatins are one of most unbelievable areas in cooking today. Jose Andres
Chef Michel Richard is always at the top of his game. Jose Andres
I remember being a young boy in Spain and watching my parents cook. We didn’t go to a lot of restaurants because we didn’t always have the money, so cooking at home was just what we did. Jose Andres
With their bright color and fantastic balance of acidity and sweetness, tomatoes are a natural refresher and the perfect element for meals on warm and sultry days. Jose Andres
Dragon fruit is very subtle, very delicate. So you want to be careful not to kill it with things that have very strong flavor. Jose Andres
Don’t put too many chefs to work. Sometimes they get too involved in the ingredients and are of no help. Jose Andres
Vegas is a celebration. Jose Andres
Anchovies pair really well with fruit like a nectarines or clementine. The fruit complements the sweetness and saltiness of the anchovy. Jose Andres
In Spain, we mainly use red plum tomatoes, but it is always fun to experiment. Try using a mix of colors or substitute green tomatoes for plum next time you make a tomato dish. Jose Andres
For me, there is no better tapa than a really good stuffed olive. Jose Andres
In Spain, you can go into any tapas bar, and you’ll see anchovies all over the menu. Jose Andres
I have an amazing wife and three daughters that always keep me motivated. Jose Andres
The Christmas market at the Barcelona Cathedral sells all kinds of things for your Nativity scene. It will also give you a good idea of Catalan culture. Jose Andres
Education is everything. It’s for everyone. We all need to be educated. Jose Andres
Puerto Rico is the perfect meeting place between Spain, the country I come from, and America, the country where I now belong. The meeting point of two worlds where magic can happen. Jose Andres
Let me tell you a story about when I was growing up in Spain. Many Sundays, we would invite 30, 40, 50 people to the countryside, and my father would make a big paella. He put me in charge of the fire and the ‘stove’ – the rocks that hold the pan. But he wouldn’t let me cook. I got so unbelievably upset. Jose Andres
I’m sorry for the ducks; I love foie gras. Jose Andres
The right use of food can end hunger. Jose Andres
Don’t skimp on the ice. Bags from the grocery store melt so fast and water down your drinks. I prefer beautiful, big squares for my cocktails. Jose Andres
Meat, to me, it’s slightly boring. Hold on, I love meat too, but only once in a while. You get a piece of meat, and you put it in your mouth, you chew, the first five seconds, all the juices flow around your mouth, they’re gone, and then you are 20 more seconds chewing something that is tasteless at this point. Jose Andres
The great-great-grandfather of my mother was probably using gelatins. Jose Andres
I mix mayonnaise, ketchup and brandy and a little bit of mustard. This is a heck of a good sauce for seafood. Jose Andres
Even today with the public’s growing interest in food and diet issues, politicians rarely include food as part of their political platforms. Jose Andres
Simple ingredients, treated with respect… put them together and you will always have a great dish. Jose Andres
Listen to me: Leek is a vegetable. It can be the center of a dish. Jose Andres
Behind Chipotle is not a corporation; behind Chipotle is a man that is one of the great cooks, that created a great concept. Jose Andres
I love going to Rodeo Drive with my wife. Jose Andres
Look at our farmers’ markets today, bursting with heritage breeds and heirloom varieties, foods that were once abundant when we were an agricultural nation, but that we have lost touch with. Bringing all these back helps us connect to our roots, our communities and helps us feed America the proper way. Jose Andres
The business of feeding people is the most amazing business in the world. Jose Andres
As legal residents, immigrants would contribute more in taxes, spend more at our businesses, start companies of their own and create more jobs. Immigration is not a problem for us to solve but an opportunity for America to seize. Jose Andres
Simple ingredients prepared in a simple way – that’s the best way to take your everyday cooking to a higher level. Jose Andres
I guess that from the moment we are fed by our mothers, without even knowing it, we are caught in a net that brings us comfort, something we always feel when a special woman cooks for us. It is something unique and personal – it is something we want to keep for ourselves. Jose Andres
The cheapest gadget – and you don’t even have to spend a dime – is chopsticks from a Chinese restaurant. I use them for everything: to toss salads, to turn a piece of meat in the pan, to flip croquettes in the Fryolator, to whisk eggs for omelets, to stir eggs into fried rice when I make that for my daughters. Jose Andres
Food and the way we grow it and produce it are a major cause of environmental degradation. Jose Andres
People travel north from Barcelona, not south. Jose Andres
Soy sauce and seaweed go really well with potato chips. Jose Andres
I prefer natural hardwood lump charcoal – the other stuff makes your food taste like Goodyear tires. Jose Andres
To feed a nation is never easy! Jose Andres
I eventually settled in Washington, where my partners and I have been fortunate to build a restaurant business that now employs thousands of Americans across the country. Jose Andres
Good things, you can’t rush into them. Jose Andres
One day, we’ll have 10, 20 or 50 Jaleos around America or around the world. Jose Andres
Everyone else in the world still thinks of American food as ketchup. Jose Andres
I’m always looking to the future and what will next be on the horizon. Jose Andres
When the earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, I was on vacation in the Cayman Islands. Jose Andres
American cooking is one of the unknown cuisines in America. Jose Andres
I was very impressed with the street food of Singapore. I was very impressed with the dishes that they did. Jose Andres
I am from Spain, but my family and I have made America our home. For the last 17 years, I have been cooking Spanish food in Washington, D.C. Jose Andres
I believe in tradition and innovation, authenticity and passion. Jose Andres
After a year, the aromatics in an olive oil are gone. Sometimes the bottles on the shelf in the supermarket are there a lot longer than you are. Jose Andres
