For those who follow this blog, you know that last week, as multiple areas of Los Angeles country burned out of control, I stopped posting stories…now, I want to share one that offers a chance to help, thanks to a brilliant Chef who is helping feed the community.
Chef Jose Andres is one of the world’s greatest Chefs…and one of the most Philanthropic as well. Here he is in Los Angeles as his team mobilized to help feed the 100,000 displaced people in the area. Chef Andres has committed himself to providing food for those in need….his culinary vision is hugely successful and his philosophy on food is simple:
| “FOOD IS HOPE, FOOD IS DIGNITY, FOOD IS COMMUNITY, FOOD IS FAMILY, FOOD IS CARING. FOOD IS NOURISHMENT AND FOOD IS RESILIENCE. FOOD IS BUILDING LONGER TABLES. FOOD IS PEACE”. CHEF JOSE ANDRES |
Chef Andres shows his passion in everything he makes – so before I tell you about how he is working to help the thousands impacted by the LA area fires, here is one of his favorite recipes that you can make at home…
Chicken Croquetas
October, 2021
Makes about 36 croquetas
- ¼ pound unsalted butter
- ½ Spanish onion, peeled and finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- Salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 10 ounces chicken, boiled and shredded (leftover chicken from a stock is ideal)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 cups Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent, about 5 minutes. Slowly stir in 1½ cups of the flour and continue stirring vigorously until well combined. Cook for about 3 minutes until mixture becomes frothy and golden in color. Pour the milk into the mixture, stirring continuously, and continue to cook for about 2 minutes, until you have a thick béchamel sauce. Season to taste with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and nutmeg.
Add the chicken and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Cook for another 2 minutes until you have a thick mixture that you can mold in your hands. Carefully pick up a bit of the mixture and try to ball it with your hands. It shouldn’t be too sticky. If it does stick to your hands, allow the mixture to cook a little longer. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet to allow to cool.
Once cool enough to handle, take a spoonful of the mixture and roll in your hands to make a small cylinder, about the size of a wine cork. Roll the cylinder in the remaining 1 cup flour, then in the eggs, and then in the breadcrumbs and set aside on another cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture until you have about 36 croquetas.
In a small deep frying pan, heat the olive oil to 375 degrees on candy thermometer. Working in batches, add the croquetas, making sure they are covered completely in oil. Fry until golden, about 1 minute, then transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to let drain. Be sure to allow the oil to return to 375 degrees on the candy thermometer between batches. Season with salt and serve hot.
I love this recipe! Chef Andres’ is a visionary Chef, and his passion is unrivaled – but his organization is so much more than just serving food:
Sam Bakshandehpour – shown on the left speaking with Chef Andres – is the Global CEO of the Jose Andres Group, which operates more than 40 restaurants worldwide. As Chef Andres says:
“Sam understands the power of restaurants to transport us, for food to be the language of connection, and how we can be a part of communities in a meaningful way, all over the world.”
I had the CEO of Chef Jose Andres’ food empire on my show “Dollar Bill” with Bill Rancic – he spoke of their ongoing effort to support communities in need.
They have an organization called the “World Central Kitchen” – WCK.
In 2024, WCK provided over 109 million meals to families affected by conflict, natural disasters, and the climate crisis in 20 countries. And now they are helping in Southern California:
WCK is compassionate and dedicated to helping anyone living through a disaster, whether a natural disaster or a political conflict – and Chef Andres is in LA now providing food for thousands – and there are no politics involved: they just want to feed people who need help. Now they are providing food in LA for those displaced by or fighting the the horrendous fires…I just donated and here is a link if you want to know more.
You can donate here:
CEO Sam Bakshandehour spoke candidly about the dangers the organization has faced providing food in war-torn areas, and people in Southern California are grateful for the help they are providing now. I donated and will continue to support their efforts going forward as well.
Click here to see the episode now to hear more:
Thanks for reading this update and understanding the enormity of the disaster being faced in Southern California, where I have lived for so long now…
Someone shared this photo of the Malibu coastline, before and after the fires…this is an area where my wife Alex and I would rent a home on the beach – here are a few of my photos:
It is shocking to know that this slice of paradise is gone…an absolutely gorgeous place to see Dolphins in the water and watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean:
A stunning spot on the Pacific Coast Highway, from Sunset Boulevard all the way up to Malibu…here is what remains:
Tens of thousands have lost their homes and businesses, which is why I want to help in some small way, and I chose “WCK” as they are helping those who have lost everything at least not worry about having food for themselves and their families…
This beautiful area was an idyllic getaway, and my wife and I rented a house here as a vacation getaways for years….now so much of it is gone. Here is a look at just how magical this area was, and what was lost:
Since this is a food site, I also wanted to share a look at some of the Spanish food my wife and I enjoyed in Spain – inspired by Chef Andres and his passion for Spanish cuisine…
These hanging hams in Barcelona are just one example…click here to see more of the city’s incredible food:
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Bravo Chef Andres, and if you support their efforts to help others, please share on social media…thank you.
Categories: Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Food, Food Travel, Food Writing, Recipes, Travel
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
I have so much admiration for the chef. He worked wonders during the pandemic in NYC as well. And yes, he goes to war zones. Crazy. It’s a great cause of course. Great post. Do you still have a house that’s standing?
My home was not in the fire zone, but we have many friends who were displaced or evacuated and it’s heartbreaking…thank you for the comment, this organization goes anywhere in the world where there is a need…
Thanks for sharing this, John. I was happy to learn about the chef and the World Central Kitchen, and also, happy to give. It’s hard to fathom the scope of the fires, and the devastation they’ve caused, but I’ve been encouraged by the support being shown by so many individuals and organizations. (I plan to check out the podcast, too!)
There has ben a massive outpouring of support from the community in general and many organizations. I just felt that this one served a particularly need – when more than 100,000 people cannot go back to their homes – or lost their homes – then how do they feed their families? Chef is also providing thousands of meals to firefighters as well…such a good cause and selfless
More than anything, I want to highlight how people are coming together – and also just how massively destructive this catastrophe was – tens of thousands of homes and buildings…it will take years and years to recover
He is absolutely amazing, one of my idols, and he is wherever there is great need! I strongly support WCK with a regular monthly donation, and I think of it as my best investment.
Thanks for this post John!
His organization is dedicated to helping people who need food – no politics, just compassion. There are many who are doing the same, I chose him because his organization does this year round as well.
Hi John, thank you for sharing this post. I tiny silver sliver lining shiny in the darkness. Huge hugs 💞
so glad to read that chef Andre and wck there. he is an amazing human and they do lifesaving work, he will probably never know how many people he has saved all over the world.
The devastation is crazy. Just so sad. Thanks for the bit of good news . . . or at least a way of helping John. Good to hear that your home is still standing. Hopefully the tide is turning. Hang in there.
Winds have thankfully died down and no new flareups…now the massive cleanup begins and there will be plenty of investigations into the cause – just so everyone knows that the first responders and firefighters were all heroes
Well done to the chef, and everyone else helping the victims of the terrible fires.
Best wishes, Pete.