Chef José Andrés to testify before House panel on humanitarian crisis in Ukraine

Chef José Andrés is set to testify before members of the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Friday to discuss the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Andrés will speak at a virtual hearing by the Subcommittee on National Security on the effects of Russia’s invasion on Ukrainian civilians and how international aid organizations are trying to provide assistance, according to a hearing advisory. The advisory states 6.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine and 8 million have been internally displaced since Russian forces moved into Ukraine in late February. 

“Russian forces have unleashed indiscriminate violence against innocent civilians and forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes,” the advisory states. 

Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen, an organization that provides food to communities facing humanitarian and climate crises, according to its website. 

The advisory states the hearing will allow subcommittee members to hear recommendations on how the United States should continue supporting Ukrainians and can prepare for the “ripple effects” that the conflict may have on others around the world. Food prices have soared in the past few months as a result of the invasion, supply issues and the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. 

Andrés has repeatedly gotten involved in humanitarian aid in recent years, launching a project to reopen 400 restaurants closed during the pandemic and providing meals to communities in Kentucky devastated by a series of tornadoes.

Humanitarian organization leaders like Christopher Stokes, the emergency coordinator for Ukraine for Doctors Without Borders, and Amanda Catanzano, the acting vice president for global policy and advocacy for the International Rescue Committee, will also testify Friday.