Could the Montessori movement have just found an unexpected ambassador? In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience (#2315), world-renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés gave a heartfelt endorsement of the Montessori Method, offering a powerful and personal testimony that may introduce hundreds of thousands to this transformative educational philosophy.
From School Struggles to Strengths
The episode kicks off with a relatable and raw exchange between Joe Rogan and Chef José about their childhood struggles in traditional schools and experiences with ADHD.
José reflects on memorizing the kings of Spain in a rigid lecture-based system, while Rogan recalls disengaging from math once he realized calculators could do the work. Both men describe ADHD not as a disability but as a kind of superpower, fueling deep focus on passions and igniting creativity when allowed to flourish.
Rogan then drops one of his characteristic hot takes:
"School was made to produce good factory workers."
He elaborates by referencing John D. Rockefeller and the General Education Board (GEB)—alleging that the American educational system was designed to mold obedient, efficient workers to serve industrial interests. While some listeners may dismiss this as a conspiracy theory, Rogan's point isn't without some historical grounding.
Frederick Gates, a key advisor to Rockefeller, once said:
“I don’t want a nation of thinkers, I want a nation of workers.”
Regardless of intent, this quote has long troubled education reform advocates. The GEB's push for standardized education did, in fact, limit the growth of alternative models like Montessori. It’s a stark reminder that what we now call "traditional" education was not born out of a desire for holistic child development, but efficiency.
Chef José’s Montessori Moment
Amid this big-picture critique, Chef José gracefully redirects the conversation back to his own daughters’ Montessori education. At 13:19 in the video, he describes how his wife enrolled their daughters in a Montessori school and how that decision changed their lives.
Rogan, clearly unfamiliar, asks:
“Isn’t that where they’re all in the same grade?”
That moment, however well-intentioned, is telling. Like many, Rogan had only a vague idea of Montessori. But then José Andrés gave one of the most eloquent public testimonials the method has ever received.
He shares:
“It gave my daughters a great framework to be themselves, giving them the freedom to become the young women they are becoming.”
He continues by marveling at how Montessori education helped his daughters grow into thoughtful, articulate, and self-driven individuals:
“They were not being guided like cows, like horses with blinders. It was the opposite—it opened their world in a 360-degree way… maybe even three-dimensionally… to give them options to be the owners of their own destiny.”
He even jokingly blames Montessori for making them confident enough to debate their dad—a parent testimonial every Montessori educator will recognize and appreciate.
Why This Matters for the Montessori Community
This wasn’t a formal TED Talk. It wasn’t a keynote at an education conference. It was a spontaneous, passionate, real-world endorsement of Montessori on one of the most-listened-to podcasts in the world.
Most people still don’t fully understand what Montessori is. Joe Rogan’s question:
“Isn’t that where they’re all in the same grade?”
—perfectly represents how Montessori sits just outside mainstream awareness.
That’s why Chef José’s words matter so much. This single conversation has the potential to reach millions of listeners, many of whom may now look into Montessori for the first time.
This conversation is more than just a celebrity anecdote. It’s a watershed moment for Montessori advocates. Chef José’s heartfelt praise is a huge win for those of us who believe in the power of child-led learning, freedom within structure, and respect for the individual child. If Chef José’s words inspire even a fraction of listeners to explore Montessori further, his appearance may prove to be an unintentional blessing to the movement.
Final Thought: A Montessori Keynote in the Making?
In addition to being a celebrated chef, Chef José Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen, a humanitarian organization that brings meals to communities in crisis around the globe. He’s a visionary with a heart for service, and based on his eloquence in this podcast, he would make a phenomenal keynote speaker at any major Montessori conference.
Here is the podcast in its entirety. If you skip to around the 13:00 minute mark, that is when they begin talking about Montessori.