Rest. Qüenco de Pepa y tienda "La Huerta de Pepa"

A culinary school. A crisis. And a chef who didn't hesitate. The day after the earthquakes struck Venezuela, WCK reached out to Chef Corps Member Mónica Sahmkow—director of the Gastronomy Academy at UCAB and chef at Bocú restaurant in Caracas. Within hours, her academy's kitchens were producing meals for families and volunteers in need. Because the skills that make a great cook—precision, speed, the ability to feed many with care—are exactly the skills that matter most when a crisis hits. #ChefsForVenezuela #FoodIsLife Una academia de gastronomía. Una crisis. Y una chef que no dudó ni un momento. Al día siguiente de los terremotos que sacudieron Venezuela, WCK contactó a la chef Mónica Sahmkow—miembra de nuestro Chef Corps, directora de la Academia de Gastronomía de la UCAB y chef del restaurante Bocú en Caracas. En cuestión de horas, las cocinas de su academia ya estaban produciendo comidas para familias y voluntarios en necesidad. Las habilidades que hacen a un gran cocinero—precisión, rapidez, la capacidad de alimentar a muchos con dedicación—son exactamente las que más importan cuando llega una crisis. #ChefsForVenezuela #FoodIsLife

“WCK always adapts its response to match real needs.” – Katya, WCK Team Member WCK’s #ChefsForUkraine efforts are constantly evolving to make sure communities receive the support they need. For families in frontline villages, deliveries of ready-to-eat meals and cooking kits with portable stoves are more helpful than hot meals and food kits. Now, they have reliable access to food even when they don’t have power or can’t safely light fires to cook.

Since serving our first meals just hours after Russia launched its full-scale invasion four years ago, WCK has provided more than 295 million meals to communities across Ukraine—standing with people not only in moments of crisis, but in building long-term resilience through innovation. Across the country, we’re responding to emergencies while strengthening communities through programs designed for a constantly shifting front line. From community kitchens where families can cook for themselves with dignity, to frontline food kits delivered in the immediate aftermath of Russian strikes, to rapid-response teams ready to mobilize within hours of an attack—our work adapts to meet each moment. Read more: wck.org/news/ukraine-2026 #ChefsForUkraine

WCK first met Fran two years ago in Viña del Mar, Chile, when she was cooking in one of our kitchens to support communities impacted by wildfires. She quickly stood out as a natural fit for WCK and since then she has worked with our teams all over the world, including Jamaica, the Philippines, and Mayotte. Now, she’s back with our teams in Chile to provide meals to families in Concepción after devastating wildfires. She brings love, calm, and tenacity to every kitchen she works in, helping teams come together and grow. In the words of WCK Response Director Juan Camilo, “Fran truly embodies what it means to work as one team." #ChefsForChile WCK conoció a Fran hace dos años en Viña del Mar, Chile, mientras cocinaba en una de nuestras cocinas para apoyar a las comunidades afectadas por los incendios forestales. Desde el primer momento, supimos que era la persona ideal para nuestro equipo. Desde entonces, ha trabajado junto a nosotros en distintas partes del mundo, incluyendo Jamaica, Filipinas y Mayotte. Hoy regresa a Chile para apoyar a las familias de Concepción afectadas por los devastadores incendios forestales. Fran aporta amor, calma y determinación a cada cocina, fortaleciendo a los equipos y fomentando el trabajo en conjunto. Como dice Juan Camilo, Director de Respuesta de WCK: “Fran representa verdaderamente lo que significa trabajar en equipo.” #ChefsForChile

WCK is on the ground in southern Spain as Storm Leonardo brings torrential rains that are forcing thousands of families in southern Spain from their homes, closing schools, and disrupting travel. As communities face dangerous conditions, our teams are serving meals to ensure families and first responders have food when they need it most. Read More: wck.org/news/spain-floods-26 #ChefsForSpain WCK está en el sur de España mientras la borrasca Leonardo deja lluvias torrenciales que están obligando a miles de familias a abandonar sus hogares, cerrando colegios y afectando al transporte. Ante estas condiciones, nuestros equipos están sirviendo comidas para garantizar que las familias y los equipos de emergencia tengan alimentos cuando más lo necesitan. Más información: wck.org/es/news/spain-floods… #ChefsForSpain

WCK's Marco is in Northwest D.C. serving meals to families in the area who have been impacted by the snowstorm that struck the U.S. over the weekend. In the D.C. metro area and around the country, our teams are working closely with local restaurants, Chef Corps members, and partners to care for our neighbors. #ChefsForDC