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In his new notes, Change the recipe: Because you cannot build a better world without breaking some eggs. (It will be published on April 22 by ECCO), Chef Jose Andres, the founder of the World Humanitarian Aid, offers lessons in life and teaching moments on responsibility and commitment to common humanity.
Read an excerpt below, and Do not miss the Kelefa Sanneh interview with José Andrés on “Sunday morning” April 6!
“Change the recipe” by Jose André
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Commitment to what matters
I came from a world of high -end restaurants, ingenuity and creativity. So Tapas Restaurant was not exactly what I was looking for. But my new partners in Washington, DC, had a clear idea: they wanted to open a Spanish restaurant that was enjoyable. They called it Galio, which means “Merrymaked, a joyful celebration”, inspired by the John Sanger Sangent painting of a Spanish woman dancing on the guitars. She lives in Boston, but she traveled on loan to the National Art Gallery in Washington, and they saw that there. They even drew his cloning on the new restaurant wall.
I understood this feeling of joy. I am the type that does not like the tables. I prefer to stand in the bars. If you can, I like to jump into five different bars and eat good food in each one. Gilo was an opportunity to show how I like to enjoy life. These small plates of tapas were an opportunity to give people more access to different bites of Spanish foods and different tastes in various regions of Spain. Perhaps people did not know what they wanted to eat, and small paintings will be a way to move a little from their comfort areas. Of course, it was an opportunity to make myself a sign. I can do this while being a kind of ambassador to my country, in the capital of the United States, not far from the White House and the American Capitol. It seemed to be an extension of my military service, and the move from a port to a port on a long historic ship, indicating the best in Spain in the world.
I knew that there were immigrants in front of me who brought Spanish food to every corner of America. They opened the restaurants, and perhaps some of them playing guitar or flamingo dance. It was legendary places. Tio Pep in Baltimore. San Martin Café in New York. Montse Guillén’s El Internetal in Tribeca, which was short -term but put Spanish food and drink on the map. There was already a sophisticated Spanish restaurant in Washington called Tabirna Del Alabarero, and the most informal jamming in Adams Morgan.
Washington was not seen at the time as Mecca in cooking, even by the people of the capital, and Galio opened in a neighborhood in the city center, known as Benser Kibr, who was empty at night. But it will not remain this way. It will become a very important part of the city, not far from where all the large decisions that affected the country and the world have been taken. It was part of the city where the Senate members, members of Congress, pressure groups and business managers meet. The home of new companies such as America was online, and many other amazing new companies. Slowly but steadily, Gilo became a great success.
This does not mean that it was easy. I was young, only twenty -three years, and I was still learning how to manage the kitchen. Get me the movie in my head as a creative man, but now you need to learn how to run the place. Fortunately, I had a great and pleasant teacher: Ann Casson, who was the first executive chef for Gilo, explained how to do the mission properly, although I preferred the creative side of things.
We really didn’t know whether the Americans would accept these small paintings, or the idea of sharing the paintings at all. What happened if people do not want to participate? Our parallels were anxious and often telling me how some people said they were not comfortable to participate. I had a simple answer. If they do not want to participate, they can move the plate that approaches ten inches from it and use their knife and a fork to protect the dish for themselves. I was not going to taps for them. This is what we did in southern Spain and in Catalonia. They were adapting because it was a fun way to be with friends. Who does not want to dig a fork in a person’s dish through the table?
My heart was full of joy that comes from serving Spanish food to new people. This joy was translated into happy guests who eat the dishes you knew. Galio was a place where I could share what I knew about Spanish food: Crocitasand Gazacoand Jambas Aloand Sanjriya. But it was also a way to learn more about what I am Not Learn about Spanish food. I did not travel throughout Spain at the age of 23, and I did not know about all the art of Spanish cooking. Far from that. The fact is that you need to continue learning in any working line. People say I am one of the largest experts in Spanish cooking, but I still feel stealing at times. Every time I return to Spain and discover a new component or a new dish, it feels as is the case with looking at the stars. You can see a few, but how many do not see it? You can read books, and you can travel, but learning is a life of curiosity and discovery.
Sometimes, this work may feel joy and more than the struggle. In particular, in those early days, it was a struggle to buy the right ingredients. Believe it or not, I am a practical man. You can support the local economy, buy local fruits and vegetables, for example. But there are some ingredients that cannot be replaced. I have noticed the success of Italy, as they were surprisingly managed to support small cities where its unique food products are made. I thought we could do the same for small cities and food producers in Spain. Manchgo cheese is unparalleled. Sweet roasted Bikilo Pepper is unique. Olive oil is the envy of Europe, and until it is re -packed under the Italian names. We are unparalleled. There is nothing comparable to the important jam Eberico, which is the best pork in the world. You cannot have Spanish cooking without some nutrients. It was a symbiotic relationship.
However, importing food is not always easy. There are regulations, policies and rules to protect consumers and companies. The US Department of Agriculture insists that slaughterhouses operate according to American standards, not European, if they want to sell meat in the United States. They should be searched, although the Europeans were eating these foods for centuries without any problems. He was crazy but great too. Of course, it was not just the issue of safety; There were fears that pork from Spain would hurt pig meat in America. So one day, I met a bearded man visiting Washington, and considered it a wonderful product from IBérico Ham was investing to comply with the American regulations in his slaughterhouse: Santiago Martin, the owner of Embutidos Fermín. Producers like Santiago helped move in these challenges with Congress and management, as he found a lawyer who helped the Italians bring Parma Ham to America. Because in reality, this European pork was much more expensive than American pork, and they helped raise the perception of all pork products in America. It was the victory for America and Spain.
This is the world of work. Your commitment to your values, to what is important, can apparently transform a small decision – such as buying a type of roasted pepper or a slice of pork – into something like international relations.
Your sense of responsibility is what matters. How would I become a Spanish chef without all these ingredients? I had to do work, just like chefs and other importers who made Spanish food available in the United States. People like Tim Harris, who created incredible Spanish food store, did not Tedida, and Joanna Jimino Varun, who started at La Española Meats. Or Modina de Laguno and Steve Mitzer bring Spanish wine to America; George Ornsonz, who was walking in the streets of Manhattan with a large bag full of wine bottles, in an attempt to enter his wipers into a few restaurants. The full ecosystem of Spanish foods kept me on people, and I needed to play my periodic.
So Gilo became more than just a restaurant. It was a way to build bridges between these two countries, to inspire American chefs to buy and cook Spanish components, to spread the culture that made me from me. Something like 80 percent of all restaurants close before they reach the five -year anniversary. Galio has become open for thirty years, and we have Gilus in Orlando, Las Vegas to Dubai. Because we adhered to the first year of what we appreciate – what matters – even when we have not yet experienced all the experience to achieve this.
I feel a feeling of joy when I see IBérico pork, Spanish inch, or wine from the Bierzo area in restaurants and shops. I know nothing happened without continuing and seeing many people who may be forgotten now. They built the bridges that will continue forever – because they carefully interested.
Follow what you feel is your goal – not what others say to you. Otherwise, you lose your soul and become a commodity. Do not be a commodity. Be honest with yourself.
Excerpt from “Change the Recipe: Because you cannot build a better world without breaking some eggs” by Jose Andres. Copyright © 2025 by José Andrés. Excerpt with permission from ECCO, imprint for Harpercolls.
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“Change the recipe” by Jose André
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