Culinary celebrity Jose Andres launches food-focused content venture

© IANS
Jose Andres.

Los Angeles, Oct 2 (IANS) Jose Andres, popular chef, author and humanitarian, has launched a food-focused content venture.

The owner of ThinkFoodGroup, who has gained notice for his restaurants as well as recent efforts to help feed people caught in global disasters, has launched Jose Andres Media, a company that will produce unscripted and scripted television series, books, podcasts, and digital short- and mid-form content with a focus on food-related stories and characters, and the culture of food, reports variety.com.

The outlet’s first project will be a six-episode series produced in association with documentary production company Nutopia that is set in Spain and currently being developed for Discovery Plus.

“It’s been my dream to launch Jose Andres Media for many years “to tell stories about who we are through the food we eat. Our food content will be as creative, fun, inspiring and authentic as our restaurants. I can’t wait to get started”, Andres said in a statement.

He added: “Food is so much more than just a plate of ingredients. It tells us where we have come from and where we’re going.”

Sam Bakhshandehpour, the president of ThinkFoodGroup, will serve as president of Jose Andres Media. Richard Wolffe, a journalist, author and former MSNBC executive who is co-author of Andres’ cookbooks, will serve as the company’s managing director.

He has long focused on telling stories through preparation and examination of cuisine.

Andre is also the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters. He and his team see the new production company as a bid to reach bigger audiences.

“Jose Andres Media will embody the values people love in Jose: compassion, joy, global thinking and, of course, culinary excellence,” Bakhshandehpour said in a statement.

Bakhshandehpour added: “We are thrilled to launch our exciting new series on Discovery Plus and we look forward to shedding light on delicious food and the fascinating figures who cook it.”

The company is expected to pursue strategic brand partnerships, including those having to do with consumer products and e-commerce.

“Jose Andres is a one of a kind talent, world renowned and sought after for good reason, as there is no one more qualified to share food-related stories and characters centered on food culture,” Courtney White, president of Food Network and of streaming food content for Discovery Inc., the media outlet’s corporate parent, said in a statement.

–IANS

dc/ksk/