José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen is helping to feed the quarantined passengers and crew of the coronavirus-hit Grand Princess cruise ship.
Andrés, a celebrity chef and award-winning humanitarian, has mobilized his charitable non-profit organization, World Central Kitchen (WCK), to the Port of Oakland to assist in providing meals for the quarantined passengers and crew aboard the vessel.
The passengers and crew of the Grand Princess, about 3,500 people, are being quarantined off the coast of Northern California. Two passengers and nineteen crew members have so far tested positive for COVID-19.
Some passengers who needed emergency medical care were taken off the ship after it docked in Oakland on Monday.
Meanwhile, other passengers are anxiously awaiting permission to leave the cruise ship once they are cleared of carrying coronavirus.
The @WCKitchen team is on ground in Oakland….Ready to support State of California, @PrincessCruises & all Americans during these difficult times. Today we are helping send food supplies to #GrandPrincess on vessel Miss Tammy! #ChefsForCalifornia pic.twitter.com/cImkRYLqo2
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) March 8, 2020
The @WCKitchen team is working into the night as we get breakfast loaded onto the #GrandPrincess and prepare for lunch delivery early tomorrow! #ChefsForCalifornia pic.twitter.com/7toLGcpkff
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) March 10, 2020
We @WCKitchen are up & running in Oakland for the #GrandPrincess! #ChefsForCalifornia pic.twitter.com/UGfDIOcqbt
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) March 9, 2020
World Central Kitchen supports Grand Princess
Sam Bloch, the director of operations for WCK, said that while the organization was doing everything possible to support the Grand Princess cruise, they were also taking precautions to ensure they were doing it “in a safe way.”
“We at World Central Kitchen are here doing what we can — in a safe way — to support the Grand Princess cruise ship… [and]… our assistance decreases the spread of this disease.”
REPORT from WCK’s @SamBloch1 on the ground in Oakland as we prepare for the docking of #GrandPrincess tomorrow. We sent food supplies to the cruise ship today, and are preparing meals for quarantined guests & crew at an off-site kitchen — as we did in Japan. #ChefsForCalifornia pic.twitter.com/FORMCbBIwh
— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) March 9, 2020
Bloch explained in the video above that they sent a boat to restock the ship and also took care of requests for an infant aboard the cruise liner. He added that they would continue supporting the vessel for as long as it takes to get the passengers off it. They would then focus on supporting the crew.
José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen has helped in other places around the world
This is not the first time that Andrés’ World Central Kitchen has helped feed passengers and crew aboard a coronavirus-hit cruise ship.
In February, the charitable non-profit organization helped to provide meals for passengers and crew aboard the Diamond Princess after it docked in Yokohama. The Japanese authorities quarantined the ship as part of precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.
Bloch noted in the video that their current operation in support of the Grand Princess is helped by the experience the team gained while providing help for the passengers and crew of the Diamond Princess in Japan.
José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen has provided meals for thousands of people in disaster areas around the world, including the victims of the Australian bushfires, the bushfires in California, and hurricane victims in the Bahamas.