Skip to main content

Meals That Matter

For Chef César Alejandro, food has always been about bringing people together. When his family stayed at Ronald McDonald House Barcelona during his son’s illness, he discovered a new kind of kitchen—one where comfort, community, and care were the key ingredients. In César’s words, cooking for loved ones is the most primal act of care, which Ronald McDonald House embodies through their culinary programs all over the world. By 2030, they aim to ensure every family experiences that same nourishment: by providing one hot meal each day.

Released on 10/20/2025

Transcript

[Cesar speaking in foreign language]

[gentle music]

[Cesar speaking in foreign language]

[gentle music]

The food, for me, plays a powerful role

in the connections with the people,

and it's not just simply nourishing the body,

they are cooking, what they are doing as well

is to share not just the ingredients,

but also pieces of their lives.

It's important to think

that after having been in the hospital

for the whole morning, for example,

and for sure, having a tough experience,

they are coming home, a home away from their home,

and they are cooking as they normally do,

and I want to think that in this moment,

they are just having a break.

[gentle music]

[Cesar speaking in foreign language]

Food and good meals and healthy meals,

are a part of our Spanish culture,

we do not eat to live,

we live to eat.

We enjoy our meals, we share with our meals,

and we really culturally, live through our food.

There's nothing better to be at a Ronald McDonald House

than at 1:00 PM, the smells start to come up,

and you walk into the kitchen

and you see the mothers or the fathers

and the grandmothers cooking for the families

that are coming back from treatment,

and they sit down and have a proper meal,

and then it starts again at dinner time.

By 2030, we hope that all of our houses

will be able to offer

a nutritious meal a day for our families.

[gentle music]

[Cesar speaking in foreign language]

[gentle music]