Andre rush push ups12/5/2023 Rush doesn’t talk much about his military service. “Everybody likes chicken, and I can make chicken a million ways,” he said. He admits, though, that observation doesn’t reveal very much. When asked, Rush always jokes that every president likes chicken. President Bush, he said, liked barbeque and famously banned broccoli from the White House and Air Force One. ![]() ![]() ![]() Obama’s and Clinton’s, on the other hand, were the most “open palates,” which allowed Rush to be more creative and experiment with more dishes. He said Trump’s palate was the simplest of the four presidents he’s served, which he found surprising for the magnate who has eaten all over the world. I also cook to each president’s palate, and every one of them is different.” “I’m a pretty humble guy, but I cook extremely well. “They like everything I cook,” Rush said, laughing. On the more personal side, dealing successfully with the presidents involves learning what they like and only giving advice - such as health and nutritional - when asked. Then there’s presentation, possibly the most tedious and time-consuming element, especially if the dining party is large. Then there’s months, if not a year’s worth, of preparation for specific events.ĭepending on the dignitaries visiting, or the nature of the occasion, dietary or religious restrictions must be considered. “Logistics are the hard part.”įirst, the kitchen is quite small, contrary to what people may believe of the grandiose White House. The work, although rewarding, is meticulous and sometimes grueling. Up until about two months ago, Rush worked at the White House two to three days a week. “But if you’re good at your job, none of that matters.” They find that out,” Rush said of the presidents. “They know who you voted for and whether you voted for them. Politics, though, have little place in the kitchen. That’s two Democratic and two Republican administrations in a city where politics is a blood sport. You have to prove yourself in a place where everyone else already has.”Īnd he did, first for Bill Clinton, then George W. “Once you get in the door, you have to work your butt off. “To even be considered for that job, you have to have a Top Secret security clearance and several recommendations from the right people,” Rush said. He was so good at it he landed a job three years later at the Pentagon cooking for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.īy 1997, he was recommended to join the White House cooking staff, and he spent several years doing both jobs part-time. I loved that feeling.”Īfter Rush joined the Army in 1993, he found himself in the kitchen again as a cook. “The most connected you could feel with your family growing up was sitting around the table for meals. The youngest of eight children, Rush often helped his mother prepare meals for their large family. Rush’s journey to the White House kitchen started in his own. “I’m going to find a way to incorporate Columbus into one of the episodes,” he said. He’s even poised to star in a new television show titled “Chef in the City,” in which he intends to revisit his roots. Now, Rush is writing an autobiography and cookbook, expected to be published next year. “But now I also get parents reaching out to me about their kids wanting to be chefs.” “I get a lot of folks contacting me on social media about how I got my arms to look like this,” Rush said. Rush’s arms caught everyone’s attention, and suddenly the “jacked chef” was in high demand. president and dignitaries at the White House for the last four administrations.Įven so, Rush didn’t become certifiably famous until this summer, when a photo a reporter took of him preparing a Ramadan meal for President Donald Trump hit social media and went viral. Oh, and Rush, a chef, has prepared meals for the U.S. He’s an avid student of kinesiology, a personal trainer and a master ice carver. Since then, he has become a staunch advocate for suicide prevention, especially among returning soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. 11, 2001, when a terrorist flew a plane into part of the building. In a 24-year Army career, he built a resume fit for a Hollywood movie. “Even if you’re just a guy from Columbus, Mississippi.” “The main thing I want people to understand is you can do anything,” he said. Then Rush crossed his arms - each sporting a 24-inch bicep - and leaned back in his chair. “I remember he got in trouble a lot,” Rush said of Karriem. They also took a class together called industrial art, but neither could remember “what that class was even about.” Both played football - the aptly named Rush was a running back and Karriem played on the defensive line. On Thursday, he was sitting outside Helen’s Kitchen in Columbus, musing with his old classmate Kabir Karriem about life at Lee High School, where they both were members of the last graduating class in 1992. ![]() Last weekend, Andre Rush was in Belgium accepting a peace award.
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