--- description: Celebrity chef José Andrés is helping to serve thousands of meals each day to those affected by wildfires in Southern California title: How Chef José Andrés Is Helping California Wildfire Victims image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3353fdc5f9cbf6ba/698769bf3c1639543b45013d/jose-andres.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [California](/tag/california/) ## California Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 'We Need to Start Now.' How Chef José Andrés Is Helping California Wildfire Victims ## Video: Californian Communities Are Under Siege as Destructive Wildfires Continue Their Rampage [Watch (HLS stream): Californian Communities Are Under Siege as Destructive Wildfires Continue Their Rampage](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/AybtsRL5.m3u8) (0:59)  _Published 2017-12-08. A brush fire driven by gusty winds that have plagued Southern California all week exploded rapidly Thursday north of San Diego, destroying dozens of mobile homes in a retirement community and killing race horses at an elite training facility._ by [Mahita Gajanan](/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Dec 11, 2017 9:01 PM CUT  Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur Jose Andres photographed at Minibar in Washington, D.C. on May 01, 2014. Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur Jose Andres photographed at Minibar in Washington, D.C. on May 01, 2014.Marvin Joseph—The Washington Post/Getty Images by [Mahita Gajanan](/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Dec 11, 2017 9:01 PM CUT Although he’s stuck sick in bed in Washington D.C., chef [José Andrés](http://time.com/4981655/jose-andres-fema-trump-puerto-rico/ "undefined") is making sure people displaced by wildfires in Southern California are fed. Andrés, who has already served about [3 million meals in Puerto Rico](http://time.com/5052840/2017-hero-shooting-hurricane-fire/ "undefined") since Hurricane Maria hit the U.S. island territory in September, felt compelled to act when he saw the [wildfires start to spread throughout Southern California](http://time.com/5058415/california-wildfires-fifth-largest-history/ "undefined") last week. “When I saw what happened, it was the same feeling as Puerto Rico, like, ‘Oh my God,'” Andrés tells TIME. “We need to start now.” Andrés activated his nonprofit World Central Kitchen, which has joined forces with fellow nonprofit L.A. Kitchen to serve hundreds of meals each day throughout the region, feeding first responders and people in shelters who have been affected by the fires. As of Monday, firefighters were battling a blaze as it went through Carpinteria, Montecito, and parts of Santa Barbara County along the seaside. Wildfires ravaged other portions of Southern California last week near the Los Angeles area, forcing thousands of people to evacuate and destroying hundreds of homes and buildings. Andrés has documented his group’s effort in California on Twitter, through photos of volunteers handing out sandwiches, chili, salads and bread, among other foods. > [](https://twitter.com/chefjoseandres/status/939650228742787072) > [](https://twitter.com/chefjoseandres/status/939283511655088128) As of Saturday, World Central Kitchen and L.A. Kitchen had reached downtown Ventura, where Andrés welcomed firefighters to eat. > [](https://twitter.com/chefjoseandres/status/939736006235844608) Volunteers in the form of local chefs have poured in to help, Andrés says. He said he put out a call to help on Dec. 7, prompting well-known chefs like Hugh Acheson and Tom Colicchio to get to work. > [](https://twitter.com/HughAcheson/status/938925634155196416) > [](https://twitter.com/tomcolicchio/status/938639378699735040) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5059040/california-wildfire-jose-andres/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5059040/california-wildfire-jose-andres/"},"headline":"'We Need to Start Now.' 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