Daily Inspiration: Meet Drew Andrade

Today we’d like to introduce you to Drew Andrade.

Hi Drew, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in the Bay Area and grew up in Memphis, and my path into cooking really started when I was 11. My mom gave me my first personalized chef jacket, and I spent my afternoons watching Emeril before food TV was even a thing. Those early flavors and moments pushed me into the kitchen.

I started working in restaurants at 13, learning the basics at Equestria, a French fine-dining spot in Memphis. After going to university just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, I moved to Los Angeles to see how far I could take this career. I worked my way through kitchens like Chateau Marmont and Wolfgang Puck’s Spago, really getting to understand California cuisine. Eventually, I took a leap and went to Spain to train under Martín Berasategui, which completely changed the way I think about food.

Over the years, my work has taken me all over the world—Dubai, Hong Kong, Lima, Moscow, Miami, LA—opening restaurants, leading teams, and cooking alongside chefs whose work I’ve admired for a long time. Collaborating with people like Virgilio Martínez and Athinagoras Kostakos pushed me to evolve and stay curious.

I’ve also spent a big part of my career cooking privately for families who trust me with their diets, routines, and celebrations. Whether it’s a small dinner or a big event, I try to create food that feels personal, thoughtful, and memorable.

After almost two decades in the industry, including years as an Executive Chef and Culinary Director for private membership clubs around the country, I’m still trying to grow and get better. My cooking leans toward Mediterranean and coastal flavors, but I pull from everywhere I’ve been.

These days, I’m based in Los Angeles, continuing to cook for my clients, develop new projects, and represent a few culinary brands I truly believe in. I’m currently a private chef in Beverly Hills and Malibu, and I also do private events throughout Los Angeles.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all. The culinary world is incredible, but it’s never been easy. I started working in kitchens when I was barely a teenager, so I grew up dealing with long hours, tough environments, and the pressure to perform. I’ve moved across the country and around the world for this career, and every move came with its own challenges — new cultures, new expectations, language barriers, and having to prove myself from scratch.

Working internationally, especially while opening restaurants in different countries, brought a whole different level of pressure. You’re leading teams in a place where you don’t speak the language, there’s a lot of money on the line, and you’re expected to deliver perfection under tight deadlines. There were even times when the money meant for the staff never reached the restaurant’s account. I had to pay employees out of my own pocket and wait for reimbursement, which added a totally different kind of stress on top of the normal demands of running a kitchen.

On top of that, we live in a world where cancel culture is real. As chefs, we work in high-pressure, high-visibility environments, and one misunderstanding or one moment taken out of context can spiral fast. Navigating that — staying grounded, staying accountable, and still leading with integrity — has been its own challenge.

I’ve dealt with tough staff dynamics, toxic environments, impossible expectations, and situations where I had no choice but to hold everything together myself. Transitioning into private chef work came with its own learning curve too. Cooking in someone’s home is personal — you have to be adaptable, consistent, and trusted.

But even with all the challenges, I’m grateful for every step. The struggles taught me resilience, patience, and how to stay steady under pressure. They shaped the way I cook, the way I lead, and the way I show up. And at the end of the day, the reward has always outweighed the stress.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a chef who treats cooking as a creative discipline. My food is grounded in Mediterranean and coastal flavors, influenced heavily by Japanese, Peruvian, and Nikkei cuisine. I move between traditional techniques and modern methods — including molecular gastronomy and liquid nitrogen — depending on what the dish and the moment call for.

My inspiration comes from the chefs I’ve worked with, the places I’ve lived, and the experiences I’ve had opening restaurants around the world. Working internationally taught me how to adapt quickly, lead calmly under pressure, and connect with people across different cultures and languages.

What I’m known for is clean, focused flavors and letting great ingredients speak. Whether I’m developing menus, opening concepts, or cooking privately for families in Beverly Hills and Malibu, I aim to create food that feels intentional, personal, and honest.

At the end of the day, what matters most to me is trust — from the families I cook for, the teams I guide, and the people who invite me into their spaces. I just try to bring creativity, balance, and consistency into every kitchen I step into.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I love most about Los Angeles is the produce. It sounds cliché, but it’s true — the access to incredible ingredients year-round is something you don’t get in most places. Growing up in Tennessee, I barely saw avocados, so having this level of quality and variety at my fingertips still feels special. The farmers markets here are some of the best in the country — Santa Monica, Hollywood, even the smaller ones like Studio City’s Sunday market. As a chef, that inspires me every week. And of course, the diversity of cuisines in LA is unmatched.

What I like least is probably the traffic, like everyone else. And I do wish the chef community here felt a little more tight-knit, the way it can in cities like New York or San Francisco. But overall, the variety, the produce, and the energy of the city make it an amazing place to cook and live.

Contact Info:

• Website: DrewAndrade.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefdrewandrade?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr