Chef André Rush: Strength Through Service

This is a previously recorded conversation, returning as a Mick Unplugged re-release. References to upcoming projects reflect the time of recording.

Chef André Rush's strength reaches far beyond the kitchen or the gym. In this conversation, the U.S. Army veteran, former White House chef, and mental health advocate shares the mission that keeps him serving others through grief, setbacks, and success.

Mick and Chef Rush talk about checking in on the people you love, the stigma around asking for help, and why compassion belongs alongside discipline. Chef Rush reflects on September 11 at the Pentagon, a moment of connection at therapy, and the lessons his parents gave him about hard work and perseverance.

The conversation also explores how cooking became his calling, the accountability required inside the White House, and the experiences behind his memoir, Call Me Chef, Dammit! It closes with four rapid-fire questions and an exchange about mentorship, gratitude, and making an impact.

You'll Hear

- Why a simple conversation can help people feel connected

- Chef Rush's answer to “What is your because?”

- How personal loss shaped his commitment to children and veterans

- His experience of trauma and the difficulty of asking for support

- Why encouragement, empathy, and perseverance matter

- How military service led him toward a culinary career

- Accountability, teamwork, and the White House kitchen

- The story behind his memoir and four candid rapid-fire answers

CHAPTERS

00:00 Check on each other: the cold open

00:20 Meet Chef André Rush

01:19 Why reaching out matters

03:24 Choosing service and refusing complacency

05:33 His father's lessons on hard work

07:19 The Because: a mission beyond yourself

10:22 Mick on friendship, loss, and connection

13:05 Turning remembrance into a cause

14:13 September 11, the Pentagon, and trauma

17:14 Asking for help and challenging stigma

20:12 A moment of connection at therapy

20:43 Keep going: encouragement and resilience

24:44 How cooking became his calling

32:17 Accountability inside the White House

35:35 The story behind Call Me Chef, Dammit!

40:50 Food, patience, and plans discussed in the recording

42:24 Four rapid-fire questions

44:40 Gratitude, mentorship, and farewell

CONNECT & DISCOVER CHEF ANDRÉ RUSH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realchefrush/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChefRush

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chefrush

Website: https://chefrush.com/

Book discussed: Call Me Chef, Dammit! A Veteran's Journey from the Rural South to the White House

FOLLOW MICK

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mickunplugged/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickhunt/

TikTok: @mickunplugged: https://www.tiktok.com/@mickunplugged

Spotify, Mick Unplugged: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953

Mick Hunt Official: https://mickhuntofficial.com/

Buy Mick's book, How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One:

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Leader-When-Youve-Never/dp/1394357958

Content note: Discussion of suicide loss, grief, September 11, trauma, and mental health. Contains occasional strong language.