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Scaling Up

During tough times, World Central Kitchen puts cooks to work to feed the hungry

September 1, 2020
By Ashley P. Taylor

Courtesy Tom Douglas/Seattle Kitchen

Workers for Tom Douglas Seattle Kitchen prepare meals during the Covid-19 crisis.

When disaster strikes, chef José Andrés and his World Central Kitchen (WCK) are ready to help feed people. Andrés started the organization back in 2010, when a massive earthquake rocked the island nation of Haiti. He went there to set up kitchens to help feed people displaced by the quake.

Since then, his organization has grown, feeding people around the world. Its chefs fly into disaster zones, help support local food producers, teach kids about food, and more. During the Covid-19 crisis, WCK and its collaborators prepared food for millions of people.

As the virus began spreading worldwide, the scale of their relief effort—called #ChefsForAmerica—grew too. In March, WCK made 3,500 salads for the passengers and crew members of the Diamond Princess, which was quarantined off the coast of Japan after coronavirus was discovered on the cruise ship. In New York City in April, it provided more than 25,000 meals per day to health-care workers and people in need. By late May, WCK had served more than 10 million meals across the country.

In 2010, disaster struck Haiti. A massive earthquake rocked the island country. Many people had to leave their homes. Chef José Andrés wanted to help. He started an organization called World Central Kitchen (WCK) that set up kitchens in Haiti. Andrés traveled there to help feed people displaced by the quake.

Since then, his organization has grown. WCK now feeds people around the world. Its chefs fly into disaster zones to support local food producers. They also teach local kids about food. That hasn’t stopped during the Covid-19 crisis. WCK and groups it works with have made food for millions of people this year.

The project is called #ChefsForAmerica. As the virus began spreading worldwide, their efforts grew. In March, WCK made 3,500 salads for the passengers and crew members of the cruise ship Diamond Princess. It was quarantined off the coast of Japan after coronavirus was discovered onboard. In New York City in April, WCK made more than 25,000 meals per day. The food was provided to health-care workers and people in need. By late May, WCK had served more than 10 million meals across the country.

Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

A World Central Kitchen worker hands out free food at Beatstro restaurant in the Bronx, New York.

To serve up all this food, WCK collaborates with restaurants, giving them the funds to buy food and pay workers to prepare it. In this way, WCK helps the people preparing the meals too. Many restaurant workers lost their jobs when eateries closed or became takeout-only to limit the virus’s spread.

One of WCK’s restaurant collaborators is Tom Douglas Seattle Kitchen, a group of restaurants in Seattle, Washington. The restaurants closed in March, but soon after, WCK and the restaurant group began to collaborate. At first, WCK gave Tom Douglas the funds to prepare 400 meals a day. As of press time, they had planned to scale up even more.

“It’s a lot of work and takes a lot of time, especially with the prep needed,” says Chris Schwarz, an executive chef for Tom Douglas who led its food-relief effort. With one to three people in the kitchen throughout the day, it’s also a lot of work per person. But helping people is rewarding. “That’s the best part,” he adds.

To serve up all this food, WCK works with restaurants. WCK provides the money to buy food and to pay workers to prepare it. In this way, WCK is helping restaurant workers also. Many lost their jobs when restaurants closed to limit the virus’s spread.

One organization WCK works with is Tom Douglas Seattle Kitchen, a group of restaurants in Seattle, Washington. The restaurants closed in March, but soon after, WCK got involved. At first, WCK gave Tom Douglas money to prepare 400 meals a day. As of press time, they had planned make even more.

“It’s a lot of work and takes a lot of time,” says Chris Schwarz. He’s a chef for Tom Douglas who led its food-relief effort. Only one to three people are in the kitchen throughout the day. That makes it a lot of work per person. But helping people is rewarding. “That’s the best part,” Schwarz says.

HARISSA CHICKEN WRAP INGREDIENTS

Shutterstock.com

To make 400 wraps:

400 12-inch flour tortillas

6 gallons harissa aioli

24 pounds baby spinach

100 pounds grilled chicken

6 cups boiling water

5 gallons pickled onions and beets

20 pounds feta cheese

To make 400 wraps:

400 12-inch flour tortillas

6 gallons harissa aioli

24 pounds baby spinach

100 pounds grilled chicken

6 cups boiling water

5 gallons pickled onions and beets

20 pounds feta cheese

HARISSA CHICKEN WRAP INGREDIENTS

Shutterstock.com

To make 400 wraps:

400 12-inch flour tortillas

6 gallons harissa aioli

24 pounds baby spinach

100 pounds grilled chicken

6 cups boiling water

5 gallons pickled onions and beets

20 pounds feta cheese

To make 400 wraps:

400 12-inch flour tortillas

6 gallons harissa aioli

24 pounds baby spinach

100 pounds grilled chicken

6 cups boiling water

5 gallons pickled onions and beets

20 pounds feta cheese

MULTIPLYING WITH FRACTIONS

In April, Tom Douglas chefs made 400 boxed meals a day in partnership with WCK. If they wanted to scale up production even more, they would need to multiply fractions to determine how much of each ingredient they would need. Below is their recipe for harissa chicken wraps. Harissa is a North African sauce made of chili peppers, spices, and herbs.

EXAMPLE

How much baby spinach do you need to make 500 wraps, instead of the 400 as in the original recipe?

STEP 1

Determine the scale factor you need to multiply by.

STEP 2

Simplify the scale factor.

STEP 3

Write the whole number as an improper fraction.

STEP 4

Write a multiplication expression. Multiply the numerators together and the denominators together.

STEP 5

Simplify your answer.

So you need 30 pounds of baby spinach to make 500 wraps.

MULTIPLYING WITH FRACTIONS

In April, Tom Douglas chefs made 400 boxed meals a day in partnership with WCK. If they wanted to scale up production even more, they would need to multiply fractions to determine how much of each ingredient they would need. Below is their recipe for harissa chicken wraps. Harissa is a North African sauce made of chili peppers, spices, and herbs.

EXAMPLE

How much baby spinach do you need to make 500 wraps, instead of the 400 as in the original recipe?

STEP 1

Determine the scale factor you need to multiply by.

STEP 2

Simplify the scale factor.

STEP 3

Write the whole number as an improper fraction.

STEP 4

Write a multiplication expression. Multiply the numerators together and the denominators together.

STEP 5

Simplify your answer.

So you need 30 pounds of baby spinach to make 500 wraps.

Use the list of ingredients for Tom Douglas’s harissa chicken wraps to calculate amounts needed for different-sized batches. Write your answers as whole or mixed numbers in simplest form. Record your work and answers on our answer sheet.

Use the list of ingredients for Tom Douglas’s harissa chicken wraps to calculate amounts needed for different-sized batches. Write your answers as whole or mixed numbers in simplest form. Record your work and answers on our answer sheet.

How much feta cheese is in 800 wraps?

How much feta cheese is in 800 wraps?

How much pickled onions and beets would you need to make 600 wraps?

How much pickled onions and beets would you need to make 600 wraps?

How much grilled chicken is in 750 wraps?

How much grilled chicken is in 750 wraps?

You have 32 pounds of spinach. What’s the maximum number of wraps you can make?

You have 32 pounds of spinach. What’s the maximum number of wraps you can make?

A. What scale factor would you use to rewrite the recipe for a single wrap?

A. What scale factor would you use to rewrite the recipe for a single wrap?

B. On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the recipe for a single wrap. (Hint: You may want to convert some measurements to smaller units.)

B. On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the recipe for a single wrap. (Hint: You may want to convert some measurements to smaller units.)

Continue the Learning Journey

  • Choose your favorite recipe that you or a family member makes and list the ingredients needed. Scale up the recipe for 2½ batches, 3¼ batches, or 4¾ batches—or for the number of students in your class! Then exchange your recipe with a friend.
  • World Central Kitchen is a group that helps feed people around the world. Think about an organization or cause you would want to help. Research the organization and create a list of 3 ways you plan to contribute to their cause.

Continue the Learning Journey

  • Choose your favorite recipe that you or a family member makes and list the ingredients needed. Scale up the recipe for 2½ batches, 3¼ batches, or 4¾ batches—or for the number of students in your class! Then exchange your recipe with a friend.
  • World Central Kitchen is a group that helps feed people around the world. Think about an organization or cause you would want to help. Research the organization and create a list of 3 ways you plan to contribute to their cause.
Fractions
Fraction Multiplication
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