Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg (by Food Tank) 528. José Andrés and Michael Twitty on Humanity, Heritage, and the Language of Food
Nov 6, 2025
Join chef and humanitarian José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, as he discusses food as a human right and the need for policy reforms to combat hunger. He highlights the importance of integrating humanitarian aid with local resilience efforts. Culinary historian Michael Twitty, known for his insightful work on Southern foodways, shares his journey uncovering the painful and rich heritage of Black Americans in agriculture. Twitty emphasizes the significance of history in shaping equitable food policies and celebrates kinship through shared culinary traditions.
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Policy Is The Recipe That Must Change
- Policy shapes food outcomes and antiquated rules perpetuate hunger when left unchanged.
- José Andrés argues we must update policies like recipes to solve today's food problems.
Put Food Experts Into Power
- Train and place food-literate leaders into government and policy roles to make better laws.
- José Andrés urges building institutions like the Global Food Institute to produce 'food senators' and food-aware presidents.
Jamaica Resilience Built Before The Storm
- World Central Kitchen builds local capacity so communities can feed themselves after disasters.
- Andrés recounts having nearly 100 chefs and restaurants in Jamaica ready to feed after a storm because of earlier resilience work.
