Feeding Dangerously: On the Ground with José Andrés and the World Central Kitchen

“Feeding is power,” remarks chef Andrés in this uplifting team-up with Orlando (the Scarlet Witch series) that shines a light on the World Central Kitchen’s food relief programs, which use food as a tool for bringing community together in the wake of natural disasters. In scenes from California wildfires, Guatemala’s Fuego Volcano eruption, and Hurricane Dorian’s landfall in the Bahamas, Andrés offers glimpses of the organization’s mission to unite people in need “not by building higher walls, but by building longer tables.” As more hungry people arrive at each disaster site, Andrés returns to the first food lesson he learned from his father: “If more come, put more rice to the pan.” Wide shots of destruction and the hardship of encampments zoom in to detailed portraits of the chefs and other “food first responders” finding moments of innovation, connection, and hard work. Each chapter ends with a discussion of a signature dish unique to each region, such as Puerto Rican sancocho, a meaty stew with corn and plantains. In fine style, Andrés and Orlando reveal how a simple dish made with care can offer so much more than a meal. Agent: Kimberly Witherspoon, InkWell Management. (Nov.)