I am a huge fan of Jose Andres and this book just solidifies why. It is an easy read with short chapters and a great message of hope, love, nourishment and peace. I admire who he is and what he does, how he will go anywhere and feed anyone no matter their political beliefs or the side they are on in a war. He wants to help people and feed people and provide them comfort. There are strong nuggets about leadership in the book and especially about being a servant leader (although he never calls it that). I definitely recommend.

3.5 stars! The first few chapters of Spanish chef, restaurateur, and humanitarian Jose Andrés’s memoir were almost unbearably cheesy and filled with countless platitudes about making your own luck, not staying within your comfort zone, saying yes to help, etc - all good advice, but told in a way that had me ready to set the book down in the first third.

But I’m glad I stayed for the rest of the book, where Jose Andrés described his journey with World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit he founded that mobilizes kitchens and chefs en masse to feed people after natural disasters and wars. He has perfected a system of fighting local hunger with a strong set of principles behind his actions: empowering and liberating the receiver of aid, deferring to local knowledge and recipes, providing “software” (resources and money) over “hardware” (people and infrastructure), and supporting local agriculture to facilitate an interconnected, circular system of aid.

I loved that he commented on the genocide in Gaza, called out the hypocrisy of the US’s (virtually nonexistent) aid work around the globe, and paid beautiful tribute to the seven WCK volunteers who were killed in Gaza while working to deliver food. He noted something that’s so easy to forget these days: “Food can never be a weapon of war. Humanitarians are never targets. They are best of us—running toward the danger as others run away. Every single civilian life is sacred, and must never be treated as collateral damage.”

Andrés really takes the “hummingbird” approach to his humanitarian work - solving the problem of global hunger seems impossible and daunting, but we need to look at it as a series of small and interconnected challenges - not one million meals, but one thousand meals for one thousand days (or even smaller increments than that). Every mouth fed is essential.

I have to admit that I am biased, already loving Jose Andres, but I was still fascinated to learn more about his life and history. I knew some of what World Central Kitchen (www.wck.org) did but truly didn't understand how they were different from other aid organizations/governments. The message that throwing money at a problem doesn't fix it, is stressed throughout the stories and great examples are given for how to use money and resources to provide help that people need and want. I am glad that Jose does try to work with politicians to explain how to better support people in disaster areas and promote his "boots on the ground" need to truly know how to help. This is truly an inspiring book, especially for any young person going out into the world (a perfect Graduation gift).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

Andres gives us his life story and follows the path of his career as a chef, but goes out of his way to emphasize the life lessons that bought him to where he is, and the core of his personal beliefs: when you have more than enough, you build a bigger table, not a wall. Happy to actually see him calling out the genocide in Palestine for what it is, and I do wish we had gotten a bit more on his pov of the operations they're trying to run in Gaza.

A fabulous read from start to finish. I first became aware of Jose Andres through his humanitarian/philanthropic work and I’ve been a big fan ever since. What is not to love and respect? I was thrilled this book was coming out and jumped at the chance to read it. So it turns out he isn’t only an amazing chef and global citizen, but a fabulous writer as well. I very much enjoyed reading his stories about his life journey as well as some amazing recipes. This was perfection.

You need to change the recipe...

To affect change. You have to break the eggs, make a mess and change what you are doing to affect change. José has such a unique, passionate voice that is uniquely his. He tells us his memories of his mother and father and their differences through the lens of food and cooking.

Everything he does is told through the lens of food and cooking.
So change the recipe, grab life. This book is so hopeful and inspiring.
Recommend.

I really enjoyed this quick read. Each chapter was like an anecdote, none super long. Lots of life wisdom, much related to food, and Andres' personal history. Got a bit political in places, but I expected it based on his founding of World Central Kitchen, and I agreed with much of what he said.

This is a heartfelt, heartwarming memoir and meditation on the work that Jose Andres has done, and is doing. It has thoughtful advice, musings, and inspiration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for providing an eARC in exchange for a review of this book. I enjoyed reading the short and meaningful stories about lessons learned in José Andrés life. I read about his early life growing up in his home country Spain, how he got to DC through his first restaurant Jaleo, how he built and learnt from a community of people in DC and the US, what he learnt from volunteering at DC Central Kitchen which inspired him to start the World Central Kitchen and what organizing to feed people looks like during a crisis. Overall, I thought this book was quite insightful and helpful in sharing unique life lessons.

Jose Andres is a role model a true humanitarian reading his book was so inspiring. A perfect book to enjoy and learn from.This is a book I will be recommending.#NetGalley #ecco

Jose Andres deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. No one can argue against that because you would be arguing against feeding people.

Andres was lucky to figure out early in life that feeding people was his mission. In the past decade, he has exponentially expanded his mission to feed millions in the face of war and natural disaster.

“Change the Recipe” is a collection of the lessons he has learned along the way and how to implement them into your own life. I especially enjoyed the insights into his younger days.

I would recommend this book for upcoming graduates or anyone looking to find purpose in their lives. A grand initial gesture is never needed to change the world. Start small, start local and it will grow and flourish from there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for the opportunity to read and review.

Change the Recipe is one of those great "gift books" for recent graduates or, really, for anyone who's feeling stuck in life. Full of wisdom derived from memories throughout his life, José Andrés shares with us how to take that much-needed deep breath and figure out who we are, what we're meant to do and how to pursue our dreams. Everyone needs a copy of this on their bookshelf to pick up and read during a rough week.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

José is one of my favorite chefs in the world right now, and this book full of his observations on life and ruminations therein is an excellent insight into his beautiful mind. Simultaneously motivating and helpful. Great for some daily mantra fodder.

"A unique collection of life lessons from renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés.

José Andrés is a chef, an entrepreneur, an author, a television host, and a tireless humanitarian leader across the globe. A Michelin-starred chef with more than forty restaurants, José is also the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit dedicated to feeding the hungry in the wake of natural and man-made disasters. His lifetime of experience - from kitchens to conflict zones - has given him a wealth of stories and teachable moments that are funny, touching, and insightful, all animated by the belief that food can bring us closer together and the conviction that each of us can change the world for the better.

Written in José's unmistakable voice, Change the Recipe is a collection of his most affecting and powerful life lessons: hard-won wisdom from a man who has dedicated his life to changing the world through the power of food."

José Andrés is my hero.

There is much to admire about Jose Andres, particularly his work with his work with the World Central Kitchen. In the book he tells different short stories in each chapter ending with a life lesson. I particularly enjoyed the beginning of the book learning about his early life as a chef.

In <i>Change the Recipe</i>, humanitarian chef extraordinaire, José Andrés, with a career spanning many different countries, imparts his wisdom in a series of short, feel-good essays on life, cooking, and community. Not only does Andrés have a talent for cooking, he is also a pretty wonderful writer, filling his stories with vivid imagery, cultural context, and philosophical insight.

Having watched his documentary on World Central Kitchen, reading some of the cookbook, and even eaten at his restaurant, I’m quite familiar with Andrés work, especially with World Central Kitchen, which changed the landscape of food in the context of disaster relief and ensuring that people still have opportunities and access to community, comfort and resources during time of strife. True to form, Andrés shows you how to be a good chef and a good person, using his well-deserved platform to help others.

Special thanks to Ecco and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest, independent review.