Chef José Andrés, Washington Nationals to use Nats park as a community kitchen

Eater Washington D.C. reports that chef José Andrés, who operates a non-profit called World Central Kitchen, which is devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters, is teaming up with the Washington Nationals’ charitable foundation to use Nats Park’s kitchen facilities to cook and distribute thousands of free meals during the pandemic.

“We are stewards of this public building — it’s not used to play baseball now, so how can we use it in the best way possible?” says Jonathan Stahl, vice president of experience and hospitality for the Nationals.

By the end of the week it’s expected that the Nats Park operation will make 5,000 meals a day. Eventually, the operation is expected to ramp up to tens of thousands of meals each day. The meals will be distributed via Uber Eats to public housing in neighborhoods near the ballpark, in various other underserved neighborhoods in the city and to the city’s homeless population.

While any use of a ballpark now is a good use, this is probably their best use.

(thanks to Megan K. for the heads up)

Follow @craigcalcaterra