Call Me Chef, Dammit!
A Veteran’s Journey from the Rural South to the White House
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4.6 • 5 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
What does it take to go from growing up in a Mississippi housing project to becoming a master sergeant and a celebrity chef serving in the White House under four United States presidents?
Call Me Chef, Dammit! is the inspiring story of Andre Rush, who became an overnight sensation in 2018, after a photograph of his now-famous twenty-four-inch biceps went viral. However, his journey to that moment could never be captured in a fleeting moment.
From his childhood working on a farm, to his developing into a gifted athlete and artist to his joining the Army, Rush has dedicated his life to serving others. During his twenty-four-year military career, his reputation as an award-winning cook eventually led him to the Pentagon. His presence in the building when the plane struck on 9/11/2001 led to his suffering from PTSD, and he has become an outspoken advocate for the military and especially for wounded warriors.
Every step of the way, Chef Rush has overcome tremendous obstacles, including battling stereotypes and racism. And in this memoir, he shares not only his wounds and what he experienced along the road to recovery but also the optimism, hope, and hard-earned wisdom that have encouraged countless others.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"My clenched hands and stern smirk are meant to keep the doubters and haters at bay," writes celebrity chef Rush in his bombastic debut. In profanity-laced prose that may as well be written in all caps, Rush—who found fame when a photo of his buff arms manning a grill at the White House went viral in 2018—recalls the brawn that went into his success. He grew up in Mississippi in the 1970s as a "sickly" and "quiet boy" who later joined the military, where he got hooked on culinary competitions and eventually worked his "ass off" in the Pentagon kitchen. For a while, he skated by on bluster, but in time he found mentors, began cooking for the White House in 1997, and became a mentor himself. Oscillating between encomiums ("Being Noticed + Success = Getting Hate") and tough talk ("People always wanted me to kiss ass. And a guy like me just can't do that"), the narrative seems to scoff at vulnerability. Disappointingly, though there's much to admire in Rush's career—particularly his efforts to promote suicide awareness and help those with PTSD—his story never gets beneath the surface. Some may wonder if this is just a promotional push for the author's upcoming TV series.
Customer Reviews
Excellent Read
What a way to get to know such an inspirational man.