McKinsey Quarterly 2023 Number 1

have more people than make more money and have less people.

that some people are amazing at and that they enjoy. Me, I don’t enjoy that. I enjoy that the repetition is what allows success in the private business and in the nonprofit. But I’m not the best guy to make sure that happens. One of my things is that I’m always going to find new cities or towns and villages or people who need help. And then once you make contact, you create the systems to keep bringing them food. I like to keep making sure that everybody is taken care of. That means exploring new places. This is what I do in my private business, too. I try to explore the new things. That’s how I am. I’m fulfilling my role.

We have a lot of people who worked for us, left us, went out, got more experience, and came back. And that always gives me a lot of joy. We also have people who we hire from within. We have some people who have been working with us for 28 or 29 years. Katy McLaughlin: How do you maximize your own contributions to both enterprises– considering that you can’t be on-site all the time? José Andrés: I’m highly incapable of doing many of the functions that a restaurant company can do. But that’s why I surround myself with people who are capable. I know my weaknesses very well. I don’t concentrate much on one thing for too long. Sometimes, I’m very impatient because life is short, and I like things now, if possible. You know, the repetition, day to day, is something

Katy McLaughlin: Who in your organizations can you not live without?

José Andrés: Life has taught me that every body’s important and nobody’s important. And this starts with me. If I disappear tomorrow, if I am no longer here, I hope people will miss me, but I know my family will keep running -

Andrés in the kitchen of one of his restaurants, which range from high end to casual and serve cuisines including Spanish, Mexican, and Middle Eastern.

© Josh Telles

McKinsey Quarterly 2023 Number 1

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