José Andrés Named Recipient of Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage

The Georgia Institute of Technology will award the 2026 Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage to José Andrés, renowned chef, author, and humanitarian. The award recognizes individuals who, by standing up for moral principles at great personal risk, have made a significant impact on society. 

For his unwavering compassion and culinary skills, José Andrés has been awarded the National Humanities Medal, the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

A native of Spain, Andrés is an Emmy Award-winning television personality, New York Times bestselling author, educator, two-star Michelin recipient, and has been twice named one of TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People.” He founded World Central Kitchen in 2010, following a devastating earthquake in Haiti, using his culinary skills to cook alongside those displaced by the disaster. 

The Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage honors his extraordinary contributions and his dedication to providing meals to people enduring unthinkable hardships. 

“Chef José Andrés’ leadership journey inspires all of us to try to make a difference in the world through whatever we know best,” said Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. “He built a successful restaurant business and became one of the most renowned chefs of our time — yet, he also found the courage, time, and resources to create an organization that provides freshly cooked meals to victims of war and natural disaster. 

“José and his team at World Central Kitchen regularly risk their lives to help restore human dignity and rebuild community amid gunfire and rubble. Georgia Tech is proud to present this award to a man whose moral compass never wavered and who epitomizes the spirit of the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage.”

The award was established in 2010 to honor the legacy of Ivan Allen Jr., former mayor of Atlanta and a Georgia Tech graduate, who was known for his courageous leadership during the Civil Rights Movement. It is awarded annually to individuals who demonstrate exceptional courage at considerable risk to their careers, and even their lives, for an important social issue. Previous recipients include John Lewis, Andrew Young, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Christiane Amanpour, and María Corina Machado. 

Thanks to a generous grant from the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Foundation, the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage includes a monetary stipend of $100,000. 

A ceremony and campus event honoring Andrés will take place March 16, 2026. Learn more at ivanallenprize.gatech.edu.