WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — Chef Jose Andres and volunteers with his nonprofit World Central Kitchen are cooking up hot meals for National Guard members and other first responders safeguarding the nation’s capital this weekend.
Andres shared a video on Twitter early Saturday from his restaurant Jaleo in D.C.’s Penn Quarter, which is among a number of businesses helping feed the thousands of National Guard troops patrolling the city in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Presidential inaugurations are always tightly secure events with operations led by the U.S. Secret Service, but this year’s measures have been amped up after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 in a bid to prevent the final certification of Biden’s victory. Law enforcement officials have warned of threats and armed groups in all 50 states.
Andres said he anticipates his team will make around 12,000-14,000 meals for National Guard members and first responders this weekend. The Spanish-American chef and restaurateur started delivering meals Friday night.
On the menu Saturday is a roast beef sandwich with sun-dried tomato with basil aioli on ciabatta, as well as tomato braised vegetable stew with cannelloni beans, the nonprofit said in a Twitter statement.
Andres’ nonprofit World Central Kitchen has provided tens of millions of meals to communities around the world, particularly those recovering from disaster.