José Andrés is a man with a lot of spinning plates. Not only is the celebrity chef a multiple-time James Beard award winner and the founder of World Central Kitchen, but he’s also currently an EP and host of “Yes, Chef” on NBC.
Ahead of the cooking competition’s Season 1 finale on Monday night, the restaurateur opened up to TheWrap about co-hosting the reality show with Martha Stewart, shared his take on the series’ conniving central twist — where the contestants’ loved ones nominated for them for casting due to their personality flaws — and even gave an update on serving food to the people of Gaza.
What did you think of the bad behavior twist beforehand?
I don’t see it as bad behavior. Chefs work under unbelievable pressure. They have to perform every day with every dish to the highest levels. We are constantly pushing our boundaries. So, yes, we can lose our temper and that’s bad, but it’s maybe not so bad. And, yes, we can be perfectionists or control freaks, because we are aiming for the best, but the behavior issues were always part of the show and that was fascinating for me. The surprise, to me at least, is how the chefs work so hard to improve their attitudes and behavior through the episodes — for each other and for themselves, even more than for me and Martha.
How did you and Martha break ties?
We talk. And then we talk some more. And we eat some more, especially me. Sometimes one of us pushes harder than the other; sometimes we let the other person push harder. But we generally agreed about almost everything.
How did you and Martha first meet?
Many years ago she came into Jaleo in Penn Quarter … when Martha Stewart comes into your restaurant, you never forget!
Is this the final 3 you expected?
To be honest, yes. We say it on camera, but these are the best of the best. They earned it, and they deserved to be there.
Are the contestants supposed to be growing, or can they still win without learning a lesson?
We only judged the winners on their food. That was the decision of the production team, because they were afraid the chefs would fake good behavior. Instead, we set challenges that would test their behavior — so if you behaved badly as a leader or a team-player, the food would not be so good. You can really see that as the season goes on. A good chef with a bad attitude will not cook so well with other people around them.
Did you eat anything on the show you’d truly never had before?
I am a machine. I have eaten everything and more. But there were combinations that maybe were new even to me.
Do you watch other cooking competition shows?
Yes, especially the classics. I’m still a big fan of “Iron Chef.”
Do you have any World Central Kitchen updates?
This has been a busy and difficult year, even for us. We were very busy responding to the California wildfires, as well as Mexico and Texas after recent storms. Our biggest challenge is still in Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis is so much worse over the last year to the point of real starvation. We restarted cooking there last week after our aid trucks managed to get through for the first time in 12 weeks. It’s vital the world pays attention to the fundamental human right to food. It’s not a privilege, it’s a right. That’s why we feed families in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon — wherever there’s a fight so hungry people can eat.
What is the current state of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, from your point of view?
I was appointed co-chair of the council under President Biden, so, naturally, I stepped down when his term ended. I do believe that a healthy country, with better food and fitness, is not a partisan issue. Republicans and Democrats can agree it’s a good thing when Americans are more healthy with their food and sports. For me, it’s always an opportunity to do more, even if some people want to play politics and create fights.
What happened to Katsuji?
He left the competition.
The “Yes, Chef” season finale airs Monday at 10 p.m. ET on NBC before streaming next day on Peacock.
