“The first time I saw America was from my perch on the mast of a Spanish naval ship, where I could spot the Statue of Liberty reaching proudly into the open, endless American sky.”

Spanish and American chef, restaurateur, and humanitarian

José Ramón Andrés Puerta is a Spanish and American chef, restaurateur, and humanitarian. Born in Spain, he moved to the United States in the early 1990s and built a career that spans food, business, and public service. He has opened restaurants in several American cities and has received awards for both his cooking and his humanitarian work, including several James Beard Awards. He is also a professor and founded the Global Food Institute at George Washington University.