Mick Unplugged
Chef Andre Rush: Cooking, Combat, and Cause- A Passion for Helping Veterans and Youth
Thu, 22 May 2025
Chef Andre Rush is an esteemed White House chef, U.S. Army combat veteran, and passionate mental health advocate. Known for his viral 22 push-ups a day campaign spotlighting veteran suicide awareness, Chef Rush combines military discipline with culinary artistry and a heart for service. Having turned adversity into purpose, he’s been recognized with countless accolades—from the Veterans Hall of Fame induction to national honors for suicide prevention. His life’s mission transcends the kitchen, inspiring millions to keep going, never give up, and support one another—whether in the military, through tragedy, or in everyday life. Takeaways: Purpose Through Service: Chef Rush emphasizes that his drive comes from having “no choice” but to serve—turning pain and loss into a relentless mission to uplift others and raise mental health awareness. The Power of Checking In: Both the host and Chef Rush highlight the importance of simply reaching out, reminding listeners that small gestures—like a text or a call—can mean everything to someone struggling. Redefining Strength: Chef Rush’s story proves that true strength isn’t just physical; it’s found in resilience, perseverance, and being vulnerable enough to seek help and lift others up. Sound Bites: “Keep going. Never give up. You can do anything.” “Instead of saying survivor’s remorse, it’s survivor’s strive—it’s a remembrance to remind everyone that life is short.” “You don’t have to be the person going through it to help. You can be the person that checks in.” Mick’s Quote: “If your heart is beating, you have more to give, you have more to do.” Connect & Discover Heather: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realchefrush/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChefRush TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chefrush Website: https://chefrush.com/ Book: Call Me Chef, Dammit! A Veteran’s Journey from the Rural South to the White House FOLLOW MICK ON:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mickunplugged/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mickunplugged LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickhunt/Website: https://www.mickhuntofficial.com Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/ Mick's New Book: How to be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-be-a-good-leader-when-youve-never-had-one-mick-hunt/1146931848?ean=9781394357956See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chapter 1: Who is Chef Andre Rush and what is his mission?
And so instead of saying survivor's remorse is survivor's strife, you know, it's a remembrance of to remind everyone that life is short. You never know. Check on each other. Be with each other. Never take it for granted.
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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of Mick Unplugged. And today, not only is a bucket list moment, but we're about to have a conversation with the guy that really sparked me into understanding mental health awareness and how I can contribute to make sure that mental health awareness stays on the forefront of everyone.
We're talking about the White House chef who turned into a viral sensation. He was a US Army combat veteran and mental health advocate with biceps as big as his heart. From the battlefield to the kitchen, from discipline to inspiration, he is fearless, he is passionate, he is unstoppable, and he is someone that I call a mentor. We're talking to none other Then Chef Andre Rush.
Chef, how are you doing today, brother?
Brother, I'm doing absolutely blessed. And thank you so much for that amazing introductory. I'll say the same thing right back at you. Your inspiration to me and thank things for everything that you do and being here.
Man, Chef, you know, I was telling you before, huge fan of yours. But where I became a fan, man, was when you were talking and promoting 22 push-ups a day, what that meant to veterans and the suicide rate. And it really touched me, man. Like, I wasn't someone who served, but I have a lot of friends and family who did. And I understand everything that you were saying in those messages.
And that truly inspired me, man. Like... You don't have to be the person going through it to help. You can be the person that can check in on your friends, as I like to say, doing a checkup from the head up, right? Like just asking people how they're doing, just talking goes such a long way. But I didn't get that until you, bro.
So I just wanted to tell you thank you for that and what that means to me and the people that I'm in connection with as well.
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Chapter 2: What are the 22 push-ups a day campaign and its significance?
But also you got to think about the part that a lot of people don't think about is the mechanics behind it. That is the beauty of it. The mechanics, not the actual being a chef there, it's the mechanics of how it actually works. Because you'd say, well, how this happens or why this happens, I don't understand. And there's a lot of things we don't, we'll never understand.
That's kind of like the brilliancy behind it, along with the crew, the people, the team, and just making everything happen.
Mm, mm. All right, let's go to Call Me Chef, dammit. We've teased it a little bit. Some of the questions I've been asking purposely have been around some of the principles that I know are in the book. What was the thought process? When did you know you were gonna write it? And then who was the book for?
Um, the, I didn't know I was going to write it. Um, I'm supposed to my cookbook, my cookbook is coming out next. This is my memoir. Uh, the memoir was actually from the publisher. I wanted to do something before I did the cookbook that I didn't want to just have a cookbook saying, Hey, I'm the greatest chef and here's all my recipes and so forth.
I wanted to have a reason behind why I do what I do. I wanted to have a community base and understanding where, okay, I'm a chef, but here's how the came a chef. And here's a reason that things I went through to become a chef. I want to tell you everything. I want to tell you everything how I fail. I want to talk about my failures a lot. And I talk about a lot of failures in there.
But at the same time, it was it happens. Don't make an excuse to keep failing. Don't make an excuse to blame everyone besides yourself. You have to have accountability. You didn't have opportunity, so what, right? Now you do. Make it happen on that part of it.
And even when I say what called me chef, it was because it was titled that because my mentor who I said, who I love to death still with great friends, love him to death, but he didn't want me to be there because I came in for that interview. And he immediately said no. He looked at me, because I've always been a big kid. I've always been like, I'm not intimidating, like you.
You look like this guy right here. But I was always had... you know, just, I'm ready to work. What do I need to do? You know, it wasn't, oh my God, who are you? No, I'm just, that's not my nature. I didn't take pictures of everyone. I didn't go behind them. I never did all this stuff. I just did my job. I did it perfectly. I did it diligently. I did it hard, right? And better than anybody else.
But at the same time, some people want you to give them extra attention. I'll let you know, say you should be happy that you're here. You should be a pre that you're here. I'm like, I am happy. I am appreciative. Just let me be that. Let me also work. So have one day with this call being call me chef. Dammit was he called everybody chef except for me. And one day I'm a kid.
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Chapter 3: How can small gestures impact mental health?
All right. So now let's go your culinary skills. In your opinion, the best dish that you make. Every dish. Every dish is always going to be the best dish.
I knew you were going to say that. You knew that, right? I knew you were going to say that. You can't have a favorite in this game. Everything has to be perfect on that part of it. I can never have just one and say, that's my go-to dish. Everybody asks me, what's your go-to? I said, every dish is going to be. I don't care if it's a bologna sandwich.
It's going to be the best bologna sandwich you ever had. There you go.
There you go. What's your go-to routine in the gym? What's one workout you're definitely getting, aside from push-ups, what's one workout you're definitely getting in? You know what?
I got to get these arms in. They're 24 inches for a reason. You know, buys and tries. I like it. You know what they say. You spot them a mile away. They get your attention right off the top of it. I do everything, but that's bread and butter.
Getting it. All right. This one I know is going to be personal. It's you. It's Madison Square Garden. No, we'll go crypto, because you're in LA. Crypto, 19,000 people, you got a microphone. What song are you going to to perform?
I got a microphone? You're on stage. You're the performer.
What are you singing? What are you rapping? What are you going to?
You know what? I'm going to probably say Welcome to the Jungle. OK. I don't know. Welcome to the jungle. I don't know, it's like, it's LA.
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