Chef Andre Rush's Advice For Restaurants That Are Struggling - Exclusive

After serving in the Army and working as a chef in the White House for nearly 20 years, Andre Rush knows how to be successful and work under pressure. The Mississippi native is now lending his expertise to a new show on Gordon Ramsay's network called "Kitchen Commando." In an exclusive interview, Rush told Mashed the series focuses on restaurants that have fallen on hard times, and he helps them get things back on track through tough love.

"I'll be honest with you, it's like a whirlwind," Rush said. "You won't expect what's coming on each episode. If you think Chef Ramsay is a little tough, I make him look like a baby a little bit. I do tough love but also compassion. One of the things that I do is bring in a military mindset."

The "Call Me Chef, Dammit!" author explained the show will feature different eateries in each episode that have unique issues — whether it's staffing, finances, or something else entirely. However, Rush revealed that he believes most of the dining establishments he helped had a similar issue for why they were struggling, and that was complacency.

When it comes to giving advice, Andre Rush doesn't mince his words. The Bronze Star Medal recipient said he believes most places are struggling financially because they're not thinking outside of the box.

"They assume it's going to always be there," Rush said. "Nobody expected a pandemic to happen. Thirty percent of restaurants here in LA went kaput. That was their livelihoods. Think about it. That's an extraordinary number, so I tell people every day is the first day. You have to keep practicing. You have to keep focused on this. You have to keep marketing and doing things — don't become complacent."

He also suggested that owners and staff can help rekindle their passion for the food industry by remembering their worth and value. 

"I always let people know how valuable they are, no matter if they're the dishwasher, the main head cook, or the owner," Rush said. "Everybody has a job, no matter what it is. They're equally valued in their job, and that means a lot."

"Kitchen Commando" premiered February 12 on Tubi and will run new episodes every Sunday through April.