Near-space experience sees Bezos fork out $100m for humanitarian top chef

AMERICAN tycoon Jeff Bezos made big news this week – and not just for flying into space.

In a press conference following his 11-minute Blue Origin flight, the Amazon founder announced a $100-million (about R1.4 billion) award to the renowned chef and co-founder of World Central Kitchen, José Andrés.

The World Central Kitchen is a non-profit business founded in 2010 that helps feed and support people in disaster-stricken areas around the world. Recently, it fed flood victims in affected parts of Germany and partnered with food trucks to support emergency personnel following the Miami building collapse.

Bezos also gave the same amount to Anthony Kapel “Van” Jones, the author, civil rights activist and CNN show host. Among Jones’s causes is a comprehensive programme to reform America’s penal system.

According to Restaurant Business Online, the money was awarded under a new philanthropy created by Bezos called the Courage & Civility Award. The programme aims to fund “leaders who aim high and do so with courage, and always do so with civility”.

“We live in a world where sometimes, instead of disagreeing with someone’s ideas, we question their character and their motives. The

Courage & Civility Award is a $100m award. The awardee can give $100m to the charities, the non-profits, of their choice,” said Bezos according to the site.

Taking to social media recently, the chef and restaurateur thanked everyone who made a contribution.

“To the people of the world making food a bright light in dark times. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. No single donation or gesture by itself can end hunger. But today we write a new chapter – no action too small, no idea too bold, no problem too big for us to solve together,” he wrote.

Andrés cooks at a high level of sophistication in the more than 30 restaurants he owns and runs with his ThinkFoodGroup. He founded World Central Kitchen to respond to the earthquake that shattered Haiti in 2010.

The organisation earned global attention for its work in Puerto Rico, where it served more than 4 million meals after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017.

It has launched feeding missions in 13 countries, serving some 15 million meals and locking up more than 45 000 volunteers. Most recently, the team members have been helping flood victims in Germany.