The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Capitalism & Conservatism in California with Chef Andrew Gruel

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (Tudor Dixon hosts guest Chef Andrew Gruel)
Episode: The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Capitalism & Conservatism in California with Chef Andrew Gruel
Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Tudor Dixon
Guest: Chef Andrew Gruel

---

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode features Chef Andrew Gruel, a Food Network personality, restaurateur, and local political figure in California. Tudor Dixon explores Gruel's journey as a chef and entrepreneur, his experiences as a conservative business owner in California, and his outspoken views on processed foods, politics, local activism, and the intersection of health, food, and public policy. The conversation moves from Gruel's passion for food and his career evolution to a deeper discussion about political engagement, the challenges of maintaining a business with conservative values, and the dramatic impact of processed foods and pharmaceuticals on American health.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chef Andrew Gruel’s Culinary Path & Family Support

• Early Inspiration:
  Gruel was drawn to food by old-school PBS cooking shows and began working in restaurants as a teen.
  “I started faking being sick just to watch the old PBS cooking shows.” (03:17, Andrew Gruel)
• Career Choice & Family:
  Despite coming from an academically driven background, his parents supported his passion for food. His liberal arts education became a foundation for his later business and entrepreneurial success.
  “My family, my parents, always supported me no matter what I wanted to do… The key is still understanding, like, your general education.” (05:46, Andrew Gruel)

2. Conservative Business Ownership in California

• Challenges & Local Politics:
  Gruel discussed navigating California’s challenging business climate as a conservative and entering local politics to affect positive change despite significant pushback.
  “It’s like training with weights on… if anybody’s going to get involved in politics, you’ve got to start on a local level.” (05:20, 07:32, Andrew Gruel) “When I got on city council and everyone went bold on these kind of, you know, next door Facebook groups about how they're boycotting us, our sales doubled again.” (12:07, Andrew Gruel)
• Political Outspokenness & “Cancel Culture”:
  After being targeted for his conservative views during the pandemic, Gruel found that taking a firm stance didn’t hurt his business; in fact, it grew his loyal customer base.
  “Our sales went up. If you start kind of wiggling and trying to play both… you don’t have to be a jerk about it, but you need to be resolute and firm in your position and confident in what you believe, and people will respect you more.” (10:59, Andrew Gruel)

3. The Importance of Local Political Engagement for Business Owners

• Awareness Is Crucial:
  In a “purple” or “blue” state, Dixon and Gruel agree that understanding how local politics impacts business is vital—even minimal engagement can pay off.
  “Just a five-minute peruse on any community Facebook page nowadays will pretty much give you a CliffsNotes version of what’s going on.” (19:16, Andrew Gruel) “I want to talk to everybody because I need that real-world feedback… It’s the anecdotal evidence that actually matters right now.” (20:41, Andrew Gruel)

4. The Decline of Legacy Restaurants & the Role of Private Equity

• Cracker Barrel Example:
  Dixon and Gruel analyze Cracker Barrel’s logo controversy. Gruel says the real issue is fundamental—PE buyouts lead to cost-cutting, less in-house cooking, and food quality decline, not just branding problems.
  “A brand is so much deeper than that and it’s not about the logo… The reason Cracker Barrel has gone downhill is because in 2011, they were bought by private equity.” (21:52, Andrew Gruel) “Slowly start to pull back on the in-house cooking. They start to off-site most of it, co-pack everything… ultimately doing either frozen kind of slop and plop or bag-in-the-box type cooking. And that’s what’s happened over the past 14 years to Cracker Barrel.” (22:56, Andrew Gruel)

5. Processed Foods, Chemical Additives, and Health

• Changes in Restaurant Food Quality:
  Pandemic-era adaptations and private equity cost-cutting have led to more preservatives and lower food quality.
  “The infrastructure was there with a lot of these co-packers… The goal was consistency, standardization, plus then you can actually co-pack it and sell it for retail… Couldn’t find any [without preservatives].” (24:34, Andrew Gruel) “Preservatives are like salt and acid… It’s not even the same. It’s steak to grass, in my opinion.” (25:44, Andrew Gruel)
• Health Implications:
  Gruel recounts his personal story of gut health issues solved by cutting processed foods, seed oils, and additives, and criticizes the knee-jerk prescribing of pharmaceuticals for symptoms caused by diet.
  “Their immediate reaction was these mind-altering drugs for a stomach problem and not, oh my gosh, look at what you’re eating.” (30:06, Andrew Gruel) “Once you have somebody on this, you have a lifelong patient. This person has to come back every month… it has become a culture.” (31:42, Tudor Dixon)
• Policy and Awareness:
  Both recognize the growing importance of national conversations (like those started by RFK Jr.) about food additives and their impact on public health.
  “The mere awareness and national conversation about these issues, like, that’s the hardest part.” (32:56, Andrew Gruel)

6. Food Authenticity: Olive Oil Fraud & Buying Guidance

• Olive Oil Scams:
  Gruel gives practical tips for buying real olive oil (US-produced, organic, extra virgin), warning about imported adulterated oils.
  “Just buy US olive oil and it’s fine… Go for the organic as well… You buy US organic olive oil.” (39:18, Andrew Gruel) “A lot of my extra virgin olive oils that I’ll pay a pretty penny for… I always finish with that, right? Like I always finish with that olive oil. So I never even cook it. And you get the health benefits and the flavor benefits.” (39:47, Andrew Gruel)

7. The Value of Family Cooking & Reclaiming Food Culture

• Family in the Kitchen:
  Gruel encourages families to cook and eat together, highlighting how food culture shifted after the 1980s and how simple meals can be with a few basics.
  “Cooking is actually very easy once you learn some basics… We need to get back to being in the kitchen as a family and understanding where our food comes from.” (41:34, Andrew Gruel)
• Social Media Outreach:
  Gruel and his wife (also a trained chef) create cooking content online, promoting practical, healthy cooking for real families. “We’re just leaning into this cooking thing because my wife’s also a trained chef. My kids get in the kitchen with us… I try and express to people cooking is actually very easy once you learn some basics.” (41:39, Andrew Gruel) “Your wife is so cute. You guys are just the perfect family.” (42:18, Tudor Dixon)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you start kind of wiggling and trying to play both, you never… you cannot both sides. You don’t have to be a jerk about it, but you need to be resolute and firm in your position and confident in what you believe, and people will respect you more… The people who are telling you they’re going to boycott you never went to your business to begin with.” (11:01, Andrew Gruel)
• “A brand is so much deeper than that and it’s not about the logo. The reason Cracker Barrel has gone downhill so much over the years… is because in 2011, they were bought out by private equity…” (21:52, Andrew Gruel)
• “Their immediate reaction was these mind-altering drugs for a stomach problem and not, oh my gosh, look at what you’re eating.” (30:06, Andrew Gruel)
• “Just buy US olive oil and it’s fine.” (39:18, Andrew Gruel)
• “Cooking is actually very easy once you learn some basics… We need to get back to being in the kitchen as a family.” (41:34, Andrew Gruel)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Chef Gruel’s Background & Culinary Passion: 02:55–05:55
• Challenges as a Conservative Business Owner & Political Engagement in California: 05:15–13:24
• Importance of Local Political Engagement for Business Owners: 18:27–21:15
• The Cracker Barrel/Legacy Restaurant Decline Conversation: 21:04–26:14
• Processed Foods, Health, and Medication Misuse: 26:38–32:56
• Olive Oil Authenticity & Cooking Guidance: 38:35–40:11
• Promoting Family Cooking Culture & Social Media Content: 40:48–42:52
• Where to Find Chef Andrew Gruel’s Content: 42:52–43:18

---

Closing / Where to Find More

• Chef Andrew Gruel can be found on X (Twitter) at @ChefGruel and on Instagram at @AndrewGruel.
• His cooking videos and more: www.americangravy.com
• His restaurant: Calico Restaurant in Huntington Beach (calico-restaurant.com) — "mention the podcast and he’ll take care of your meal." (43:05)
• Host Tudor Dixon: "For this episode and others go to tudordixonpodcast.com, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts."

---

Overall Tone: Friendly, conversational, humorous, unapologetically opinionated, passionate about family and food, health-conscious, and planning for action at the grassroots level.

Transcript

[Tudor Dixon]

This is an iheart Podcast.

[Commercial Announcer]

This Labor Day say goodbye to spills, stains and overpriced furniture with washablesofas.com featuring Anabe, the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly pricing. Sofas start at just $6.99, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Anibe's pet friendly stain resistant and interchangeable slipcovers are made with high performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud like comfort of hypoallergenic high resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time with modular pieces you can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your life now through Labor Day. Get up to 60% off site [e-mail] Every order comes with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees, every penny back. Shop [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Christina Quinn]

If you eat too many ultra processed foods, you could be starving your gut microbes and they'll get hangry. That's one of many things I learned after working on a new audio course about the gut microbiome. You can learn how to keep your gut happy by listening to Try this from the Washington Post. I'm Christina Quinn. I host Try this. Dig in with Me on pract advice for life's common challenges Follow Try this right now, wherever you're listening. Seriously, try it. You want smart political talk without the meltdowns?

[Andrew Gruel]

We got you.

[Tudor Dixon]

I'm Carol Markowitz.

[Andrew Gruel]

And I'm Mary Kathryn Hamm.

[Christina Quinn]

We've been around the block in media.

[Tudor Dixon]

And we're doing things differently. Normally is about real conversations, thoughtful, try to be funny, grounded, and no panic.

[Christina Quinn]

We'll keep you informed and entertained without ruining your day.

[Tudor Dixon]

Join us every Tuesday and Thursday Normally on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. So one thing you guys might not know about me is that I used to be a huge Food Network junkie. But it was like Old School Food Network when Paula Deen was there and Rachel Ray and there was that other woman who like made food with half ingredients you could get at the grocery store and then half fresh ingred. And I was addicted to it before I had kids because I had time to watch the Food Network and then I had kids and I didn't have time. And I saw this chef who was on social media all the time and talking about healthy food. I was like, this guy sounds awesome. And he and his wife would make food together in their kitchen. It was like, my dream to be able to have that kind of life, to be that kind of chef. And now I get to have him on the podcast. So. Andrew Gruel, thank you so much for being here.

[Andrew Gruel]

Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

[Tudor Dixon]

Absolutely. So how did this. I mean, honestly, how did you do this? Because obviously, I am just somebody who likes to watch this stuff. And I will admit, you are one of the judges on some of these shows. And I am not as big a fan of the show where you have to challenge someone else to cook against you because it's so stressful. But I was a huge fan of watching Paula Deen make the worst possible fattening food ever and then trying to make that in my kitchen. But you're healthy, and I love watching what you do, too. So how did you. How did you get there?

[Andrew Gruel]

You know, it's funny, actually, I agree with you. I love the Dump and stir cooking shows. That's what got me there. But I'll go back even further. The dump and stir cooking shows that got me hooked were those ones on pbs, right? Yan Kang, Cook Shock, Pepin, Julia Child. The, like, really, really low and mellow and almost seemingly uncomfortable because they were just slowly walking through a recipe. So when I was sick, you know, from school, when I was, like, seven or eight years old, I started watching those, and I got, like, absolutely hooked. And then I started faking being sick just to watch the old PBS cooking shows. But I didn't actually think cooking was gonna become a career for me. I loved it. I loved the culture. I loved the kitchen. I started working in restaurants when I was, like, 14, 15. Summer jobs and then beyond. Went to a small liberal arts college to study something totally different, but ended up spending more time in the kitchen and than I did in class. And I realized, wait a minute, maybe this is the path that I should be following and kind of learning this world of, like, food and hospitality and. And beyond.

[Tudor Dixon]

So I find that interesting because we have a lot of parents who listen to the podcast, and we've had some people on who have said, you know, when your child has a passion for something, even if it's something that you think, oh, this is not a career, this is not going anywhere, kind of lean into letting them explore that passion. One of the moms that we had on her Son became like a big gaming executive producer. And people were like, how. What. He's always on games and telling her not to let him do that. And then that led into this and. And I. And you have. To me, what you've done is kind of like cracked the code of something impossible is to. To be a capitalist in California with your own businesses that are selling food. Because California is so. Everything is a challenge for you there. But you've done it.

[Andrew Gruel]

Yeah, it is. It's like, you know, swimming upstream or, you know, training with weights on. Training for running with weights on. I mean, training with weights is natural. And, you know, thanks for bringing up that point about kind of teaching your kids that, you know, a little bit of history. I went to, like, a real small private school in New Jersey where everybody is really like, it's very academic and you're being trained to be either a lawyer or a politician or a doctor, right? And when I left school and went to college and then left college, my sister was like, what are you doing, Andrew? And she kind of stayed in that group. And she's like, everybody's joking about how you're a lot. You're a cook, right? Like, that was the joke that I was a cook. And just recently I went back and gave a keynote to the students there now and explained to them my arc and my journey, because it was exactly the opposite of kind of what we were trained to do. But my family, my parents always supported me no matter what I wanted to do. They know I was kind of, quote, trying to find. Find myself. The key to it is still understanding, like, your general education. Because I wouldn't have been able to accelerate through my career as ultimately a chef and then going back to business school if I didn't have those, like, fundamental. Want that 101 kind of class, you know, understanding how to write, how to communicate, how to do basic math, how to reason, all of that stuff. That's what I tell everybody nowadays is like, just make sure. Especially because I've got four kids. Make sure you understand those. Those. The fundamentals of education.

[Tudor Dixon]

That's a point that I don't think we hear that often because we are used to the American dream. And I would say that you. This is. You are living your American dream. And I think that's amazing because that's what this country is all about. But so many of our kids in neighborhoods where they're not getting a great education, the schools are rated low. They don't. Their reading is. And in Michigan, we probably. You probably have the Same thing in California. We have a really big problem with kids that aren't able to read and their parents can't read either because they went through the same system that passes you along. And once you have a generational deficiency in literacy, it's really hard to come out of. But you have gotten involved a little bit in politics on the local level to kind of give people these opportunities and say, hey, we're going to push back on some of this stuff that is just genuine, genuinely messed up.

[Andrew Gruel]

Yeah. And the. From a local level, I've been talking about this, harping about this. If anybody's going to get involved in politics, it's like, you've got to start on a local level. I say it's an MBA into politics, because what you're going to get in regards to, like, pushback and even, like, the community rage is going to be amplified on a local level. So if you can handle that, you're good thereafter. You know, it was funny. We. Not funny, actually, but the previous city council member here in Huntington Beach, T. Ortiz, who was a professional MMA fighter, you know, he was on city council for three months and he resigned. He's like, I'm not dealing with this. When I told somebody that I was joining city council here in Huntington beach, they go, you're talking about a guy who was paid to get punched in the face for decades, and he couldn't handle three months in city council. Are you sure you're ready for this? And it certainly is interesting. However, you have the opportunity to, especially in a place like California, where you're dealing with, like, the school board and the ways in which kids get to school and how they kind of navigate and operate within their community. And so many of these things are integral in the way in which they grow up and whether they're going to kind of go down a bad path, a good path, where you can reestablish, like, those roots in a local community which been ripped out over the past, especially over the past five to 10 years, which is really the goal of kind of the communists is to unmoor us from society. So that's why it's been important for me joining City council.

[Tudor Dixon]

Yeah, I just. Actually, I saw that you were. You spoke with Alex Marlowe recently and just had him on the podcast. We kind of had this discussion about. It's really challenging for the average person to get involved in politics because it is such an attack. But for you, I wonder, have you felt comfortable doing this because you have businesses and this is something I ask kind of On a personal level, too. But I know a lot of people who listen are interested in politics, but they might be a local business owner or, you know, maybe they are someone else influential in the community and they're concerned if I step out. And I admit I'm a Republican and I don't, I don't know if people feel this way on the Democrat side. I think it's different on the Democrat side because Republicans are so demonized. Do you ever feel like that could hurt your business?

[Andrew Gruel]

Well, it did hurt my business initially, Right. So I was kind of quietly in the shadows for years. And then when I was doing all the Food Network stuff and other TV and then, and you know what's funny is like, I grew up obsessed with politics and learning about it and like, right. I was like, President Young Republicans Club in youth and government, Model un, volunteered for state senators all while I was growing up. This has been a passion of mine and I've really bit my tongue on this. And, and in the restaurant industry, I was always focused on policy more from kind of a high level but nonpartisan perspective. But then when the pandemic hit, it was like, enough of this, right? Like we, it all, it all came out and it was like, cancel this guy. Oh my God. Like, people's worlds were falling apart. I can't believe this guy's conservative. And because, you know, we had 40 plus restaurants at the time, so like, we had a pretty deep base of, of fans nationwide. We, we grew it as a franchise and, and which I ultimately had to sell. But I'll tell you what, the first thing, and I remember going to my wife and I was like, man, should I pull back a little bit? And she's like, heck no. She's like, we're doubling down. Like, we're in this. Like, there's no forgiveness, right? She was the one who actually kind of smacked me in the face and was like, nope. And that's why it's key to have a, have a strong family unit. But also when we did, our sales went up. So, so interesting to those people is like, if you start kind of wiggling and trying to play both, you never, you cannot both sides. You don't have to be a jerk about it, but you need to be resolute and firm in your position and confident in what you believe, and people will respect you more. And because of that, the people on the people. You know, I'm not saying this universally, but the people who are telling you they're going to boycott you never went to your business to begin with. I mean, that's kind of a guarantee. Yeah, you might have like an anecdote here, an anecdote there, and then you point to that one person. But by and large, those people don't go to your business. And the loudest people do, because the people who are genuinely concerned are going to be disappointed and they're still going to go to your business just quietly. So as long as you're not a jerk about it, your sales will go up. So what's hilarious is when I got now, it was like, like we embraced everyone, but then we used it for the good. Right? Like that's the idea is you want to use it for the good, you don't need to, you can disagree, but you don't need to be a jerk about it in a public business setting. But then when I got on city council, everyone's like, we're boycotting this business. You already boycotted my business. You can't boycott something more than once. You've been boycotting my business for five years. And then when I got on city council and everyone went bold on these kind of, you know, next door Facebook groups about how they're boycotting us, our sales doubled again. And they really need to go up. We're up 35% year on year, week on week.

[Tudor Dixon]

What do you think that kind of says secretly about people's politics too in California? Because we keep hearing that people in California are not buying into some of the radical polic. Maybe they're kind of secretly like, keep going.

[Andrew Gruel]

That's exactly it. And it's the only way that they can. You know, it's like they're, you know, they're, they're just cloistered and they are ready to blow and they, they want to get their feelings out. So they go visit a conservative business. Yeah, you know, maybe that's it. But so I tell those people who are concerned about it, it's like, look, just be resolute, be firm and trust me, you're going to lose some customers. You can never please everyone in business. It's just impossible. If you want to make it your business that you're going to be completely moderate and down the middle, understand your moderacy is considered right wing by the left. So silence is violence. Like you, you're already, if you're going to be moderate and try and avoid the political issues, you need to understand you're still going to get boycotted by the left. That's how insane they are.

[Tudor Dixon]

Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll Continue next on the Tudor Dixon Podcast.

[Commercial Announcer]

This Labor Day, say goodbye to spills, stains and overpriced furniture with washablesofas.com featuring Anabe, the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly pricing. Sofas start at just $6.99, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Annabe's pet friendly, stain resistant and interchangeable slipcovers are made with high performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud like comfort of hypoallergenic, high resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time with modular pieces you can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your life. Now through Labor Day. Get up to 60% off site [e-mail] Every order comes with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees, every penny back. Shop [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Christina Quinn]

If you eat too many ultra processed foods, you could be starving your gut microbes and they'll get hangry. That's one of many things I learned after working on a new audio course about the gut microbiome. You can learn how to keep your gut happy by listening to Try this from the Washington Post. I'm Christina Quinn. I host Try this Dig in with Me on pract medical advice for life's common challenges. Follow Try this right now, wherever you're listening. Seriously, try it.

[Lisa Booth]

This is Lisa Booth from the Truth with Lisa Booth. Who's really on your side when it comes to your health? Insurance companies? Pharmacies that refuse valid prescriptions? Not a chance. The truth is our healthcare system is broken. That's why more people are turning to All Family Pharmacy, an independent pharmacy that's actually on your side. The right side. They fight for your medical freedom, making it simple to get the treatments you trust without the insurance.

[Andrew Gruel]

Run around.

[Lisa Booth]

Right now, Ivermectin and mebendazole are 25% off, starting at just $2 a capsule and you can save another 10% with code USA10. Choose from over 200 medications, antibiotics, hydroxychloroquine, NAD plus methylene blue, antivirals and more, all with a doctor's prescription included and shipped straight to your door. Go to AllFamilyPharmacy.com USA and use code USA10. Again, that's AllFamilyPharmacy.comUSA and use code USA10. If you believe in medical freedom, well, this is your pharmacy.

[Rodney Williams]

I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest. Building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the Wealth Break. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app.

[Sonos Sponsor Representative]

Shout out to Sonos for supporting today's show at home. Whether I'm watching Monday Night Football or I'm flipping between all the games on Sunday, sound quality matters. And this is where Sonos comes in. Their speakers bring your sports experience and entertainment to life. So whether it's in your own home there, or you are out streaming music, wherever you might be in your headphones, Sonos is the company for you. Sonos makes it easy to bring all your entertainment into every room in your home. With their home theater speaker system. It's amazing. You want to feel like you're in the game. Every crowd moment, every hit Sonos speakers. That's the way to do it. Home theater, cinematic sound. You want to bring those films to the next level. Guess what? That's how you do it. You got the Ace headphones to amazing sound quality with crystal clear highs and powerful bass. You don't just hear the content in those headphones, you feel it. Trust me, I've got a pair. I know what I'm talking about. And you get up to 30 hours of battery, 3 hours of playback with a quick 3 minute charge. It doesn't get better than that. So if you're serious about great sound for football podcasts or music, you've got to check out Sonos. Visit sonos.com to learn more and explore the full Sonos lineup.

[Tudor Dixon]

If you are going to be a business owner in today's environment, that you also have to be engaged in the local politics. You have to, because if you are not, I mean, this is what we saw with my dad's business. He had never been interested in politics at all. And I look back now and I think a lot of the struggles he had is because he was just not engaged in the political process and that there's also kind of this long standing. People who have been in politics for a long time, they're almost offended if you're not asking them to be involved. So it's a weird, weird thing. But you've got to be aware of every different aspect of how your business is going to be, especially in a purple state or a blue state. I think you have to be really hyper aware of how politics can affect capitalism.

[Andrew Gruel]

That's such a great point. And that doesn't mean you have to go to every single networking meeting and go to every city council meeting. But I mean, just a five minute peruse on any community Facebook page nowadays will pretty much give you a CliffsNotes version of what's going on and then just understanding the way in which it kind of works through the, the, you know, kind of the calculus of city operations.

[Tudor Dixon]

Yeah, I agree. I mean, meet with your state House rep, meet with your state senate senator. These are just take five minutes and say, hey, this is. I just want you to be informed as what I'm doing in my business and what our goals are and just want to be sure that we're on the same page. Because these, I think that they're more likely to come to you and say, hey, I want to tell you this is coming down the pike and you might want to be aware of this rather than getting completely blindsided by some. I mean even here in manufacturing in Michigan, obviously we make cars here. There's a lot of Chromers here. They chrome metal. And we had a person from the EP or the Eagle is our environmental agency, come to some of our Chromers and be like, yeah, we're changing your process. It's like, wait a minute, could you give us a little warning on this? But if you're involved, they're more likely to come too early and say there's something coming down the pike. It's going to change.

[Andrew Gruel]

That is such a good point. Being involved in politics and knowing your local politicians, you're right. You know, state senate, house, whatever it is, even committee, city council. I used to think that they were scary. And I'm like, I don't want to bother them. Oh, my gosh, is there a chance I can meet them? They want to talk to you. I mean, even me, I'm on a very, very local level. Like, I want to talk to everybody because I need that real world feedback. I'm sick of the charts, I'm sick of the graphs, I'm sick of the surveys. It's the anecdotal evidence that actually matters right now. So they want to hear from you, get involved.

[Tudor Dixon]

So let's get to a restaurant that recently had the public get quite involved in their business. And that is Cracker Barrel, who went out and said, we're changing the logo. And I think it's kind of funny because you can look at this two different ways. You can look at this as they should fire this CEO right away. Or perhaps they should say their business has to have gone up in the last few weeks. Maybe this was like a secret genius thing. I don't think the CEO meant it to be, but I mean, this could be like the best marketing ploy ever to get people on the road traveling to stop at a Cracker Barrel. Now that they changed their logo back, but you made a post saying they've also changed their food over the past few decades. So tell us what you think about what's happening in some of these chain restaurants.

[Andrew Gruel]

Well, I'll start by saying it's funny. Everybody thinks business is like tinkering with a brand and a logo and like typography and these things that you can deal with on Fiverr for 14.99. You know, a brand is so much deeper than that and it's not about the logo. So we're talking about the logo. And the point I was making is it's so much deeper than the logo. And I think it also goes to show that whoever the firm was and whether it was the CEO working through somebody else, that they were focusing on the logo as emblematic of these changes goes to show their elementary thinking. Because the reason Cracker Barrel has gone downhill so much over the years, and I've seen it as a customer, is because in 2011, they were bought out by private equity along with hundreds of other brands. Right? There was this massive gold rush in fast casual and casual Dining where private equity was trying to buy up as much revenue as they could to either, you know, kind of fix it, sell it for the parts, flip it, work through another private equity firm, or just increase the asset value of their own portfolio, hoping one of them would hit. And the way in which they do that is that they bring these legacy brands on board that are well liked, known, loved, deep, deep legacy brand. And then they slowly start to pull back on the in house cooking. They start to off site, most of it co pack everything. And whether it's a franchise or company or license owned stores, the co packing also gives them an opportunity to establish additional revenue which then they can create into another company. So for example, if I'm making all my sauces in house and I've got four employees that are devoted to making those sauces, well now I ship it out and I have an off site company create those sauces. But when you're off site, you have to add preservatives and chemicals and all these other FDA and USDA required elements and ingredients. Now I get rid of those four employees, which decreases my labor costs and I ship those products in and then I start doing it with every single thing on the menu and ultimately doing either frozen kind of slop and plop or bag in the box type cooking. And that's what's happened over the past 14 years to cracker Barrel.

[Tudor Dixon]

So we find this, I find this very interesting. I'm going to talk to my mom about this after I do this podcast because we have been talking for ever since the pandemic. It seems like food has changed so many of the restaurants that we went to regularly. My mom's like, I've not had a good meal and she keeps saying, did my taste buds change after Covid? And I'm like, I don't think so. I swear this food is different. And it's just you go there and you spend money and you're like, ah, I could have made something way better at home. But that's not, that's not how it used to be.

[Andrew Gruel]

That is exact. So, and I'll tell you what, so it started in like the 2011-2015 like Restaurant Gold Rush. It was amplified, exacerbated and blown up during the pandemic, right? So the infrastructure was there with a lot of these co packers. And I know this because we actually have franchise, right? So I had restaurants across 13 different states and they could not produce some of my products on site. So I was out there shopping co packers that would do it. Organically, without the preservatives, by the way, couldn't find any. But I went deep into that co packer world and the goal was consistency, standardization, plus then you can actually co pack it and sell it for retail. Everybody during the pandemic started doing this because I remember reaching out during the pandemic back to a couple of these people. They're like, we're full, we're full. I'm like, you're beyond capacity. We're two years beyond capacity. Especially because these larger multi unit chains were doing it. But as I mentioned earlier on the chemicals and what, you know, whatever. I'm not using chemicals as a pejorative here because somebody on X is gonna be like, well, technically, all for the dischemicals, the, you know, kind of lab create.

[Tudor Dixon]

You don't even have to explain because I don't care about those people. I mean, now I'll get yelled at like there's people she doesn't care about. I don't care if you're going to rip on what I have to say.

[Andrew Gruel]

I just always need to disclaimer this. You know, kind of the lab created food items and simple things there. A lot of them are just preservatives, but preservatives are like salt and acid. Acid. So ultimately it's going to change the flavor profile. MSG is, you know, kind of technically one of those preservatives that's going to significantly change the flavor profile. Right. Caragean, these kind of emulsifiers, these artificial emulsifiers, Xanthan gum. It, it's not even the same. It's like actually it's beyond apples to oranges. It's more like steak to grass, in my opinion. So that's what.

[Tudor Dixon]

So it changes the flavor.

[Andrew Gruel]

Yeah, significantly changes the flavor. The mouth, the flavor, the mouthfeel, you know, and also a lot of restaurants think now you can extend the shelf life on these products so they keep them a lot longer, which doesn't mean you're going to get sick. But anything as it oxidizes, decreases. It loses its potency and freshness and flavor. So I'm not suggesting they're serving you something bad. I'm suggesting they're serving you something that's muted in flavor as well.

[Tudor Dixon]

Well, I think it's interesting that you bring up msg because even as a kid I can remember people talking about, well, I can't eat certain foods because they have msg. And then I get this migraine. So that was like connected. There was, that was the first time I Heard something that you ingest being connected to something that affects your health. And now I think with the Maha movement, we're hearing a totally different version of this. It's like, wow, we're actually consuming a lot of chemicals, and they are likely affecting our health. And we, you know, the whole movement with RFK and everybody saying, wow, he's really talking about childhood diseases. And we're seeing a lot of. A lot different interpretation of whether it's important to be aware of what we're. We're ingesting. And, gosh, even this morning, I will say, you know, I want to say God bless the families out in Minnesota and what they're dealing with, with the school shooting and the poor. I pray for the poor families that lost their. Their loved ones and the families that have the students that were injured and that they're recovering. It's just devastating. But. But this is the first time I have ever seen the Secretary of Health and Human Services the next day go on national TV and say, you know what? We're going to start looking at some of the chemicals that are going into people's bodies. And that is not just food, but we're talking about some of these medications that we're told are safe. But somehow, as we continue to ingest medications, we continue to have a higher mental health issue. And I think that we are at a point where we have a government, like you said, getting involved in local government is so important. But we have people who have been involved who have been kind of like, shut down and saying, this stuff may not be good for us. What's it like from your perspective? Because I know for years you've been saying, hey, let's get these chemicals out of our food. What's it like from your perspective to see this administration saying, we're going to look at what you're consuming?

[Andrew Gruel]

This conversation has really been kind of was originally the genesis of my culinary career. So I went to college, and I had horrible stomach problems going from high school to college. I was a big. I was an athlete. I was a distance runner and swimmer. And, you know, my stomach was so bad that I actually had to stop running when I got to college, right? And it was just so, you know, fast forward. It was ultimately all the. It was the food. It was the processed food. I had certain types of allergies. But I'll tell you this. So I get to college and I go to the school doctor, and I'm like, yeah, these stomach problems are so bad because I was far away from. From where I lived. And they say, okay, well, we're going to send you this school. So I go to do an initial kind of, you know, basic triage. We can't find anything. And I'd done this through high school as well. But I'm like, it's getting worse. They send me the school psychologist. School psychologist, like, oh, you have anxiety disorder. Here's some Valium, here's some Xanax, right? And I'm like, I'm not like, I was the goody two shoe athlete. I'm like, I'm not taking any of that stuff. They're like, no, no. It's the neurotransmitters in your intestines that are overreacting because of your anxiety. So I'm like, okay, this is weird. Then they send me again to the school psychologist and they're like, we've got it. You need to go on antidepressants. I was not, I was like a happy kid, right? This was not, this was strictly my stomach issues. So, like, we're gonna put you on first it was like Paxil and then it was Zoloft. But these, these crazy antidepressants, right? And I remember I took the antidepressants for like six months. I'm like, this is doing nothing for my stomach, but it's making me feel crazy, right? So I stopped it. And then it was like 10 or 15 years later through my culinary arc, that I had this kind of aha moment in learning food systems where I started cutting out seed oils, processed foods, all this, guess what? Six months, 95% better Aha moments, Maha moments. Now I know exactly. Yeah, I was going there, but just that story, right? Which is like very personal to me. And I actually just recently started talking about it because I thought it was kind of weird to begin with and embarrassing that their immediate reaction was these mind altering drugs for a stomach problem and not, oh my gosh, look at what you're eating.

[Tudor Dixon]

This is like, I, I feel like I'm having an aha moment right now because I've had so many times. I look back and it. You just reminded me. I remember I, when I, There was a time when I, I didn't necessarily enjoy running, but I was a runner and I would get like, I guess it was pleurisy and it would cause me to struggle to take a deep breath. And they said, it's anxiety, you've got to take meds. And I didn't. And then I, and I remember being like, that's insane. I am not anxious. I am not depressed. I refuse to take this medication. But not because I was smart about it. I just was, you know, kind of defiant. Like, I'm not doing that. And then fast forward. I would just talk to my doctor a few weeks ago, and I'm like, hey, I'm getting to that point in age where I know I have a few hot flashes. Like, life is changing. And they're like, oh, for hot flashes, we recommend an ssri. Why. Why would you put me on something that I can never get off of, that has so many side effects, like, you know, what I'll do with the hot flashes. But that's the first response. That's what's crazy. That. Because I, again, like you said, I haven't really talked about this to anybody because it is kind of embarrassing. And you're like, oh, I was told I have to be on these meds. But now I think that what the thing the situation is so many people, that's the first go to. And the. But the pharmaceutical companies are pushing this. And once you have somebody on this, you have a lifelong patient. This person has to come back every month and make sure they're okay so you can continue to charge them. And I'm not saying that these doctors are bad, but I think this has become a culture. And the crazy thing is you say instead of looking at what you were eating, you were going to the doctor and hearing that you should be on a medication, and it's, it's less normal for you to push back on that and go out and look at what you're eating, that you're demonized for saying food could be bad.

[Andrew Gruel]

Yeah, you're woo woo, right? Like, you're kind of like, woohoo. Yeah, that was it. And it's funny as I tell that over the years, as I would tell that story to close friends and family members and trying to get them to change the foods that they were eating, they were just. It was like trying to break into the Louvre. It was, it was.

[Tudor Dixon]

You're like a nut if you talk about it.

[Andrew Gruel]

Yeah, exactly. And. And what's great about rfk, people always ask me, they're like, are you happy with what RFK is doing? He hasn't done this or what have you. And I said, he, he won in my mind before he did anything. Because the mere awareness and national conversation about these issues, like, that's the hardest part. The mechanics of getting it done is policy and politics, but the conversation to establish the awareness about it, you couldn't pay somebody. You would have to pay a marketing firm a half a billion dollars to do it and they probably couldn't even do it nationally.

[Tudor Dixon]

Oh, and you're absolutely right. Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on the Tudor Dixon Podcast.

[Commercial Announcer]

This Labor Day. Say goodbye to spills, stains and overpriced furniture with washablesofas.com featuring Anibe, the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly pricing. Sofas start at just $6.99, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Anibe's pet friendly, stain resistant and interchangeable slipcovers are made with high performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud like comfort of hypoallergenic, high resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time with modular pieces you can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your life. Now through Labor Day. Get up to 60% off site [e-mail] Every order comes with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees, every penny back. Shop [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Christina Quinn]

If you eat too many ultra processed foods, you could be starving your gut microbes and they'll get hangry. That's one of many things I learned after working on a new audio course about the gut microbiome. You can learn how to keep your gut happy by listening to Try this from the Washington Post. I'm Christina Quinn. I host Try this Dig in with Me on practical advice for life's common challenges. Follow Try this right now, wherever you're listening. Seriously, try it.

[Lisa Booth]

This is Lisa Booth from the Truth with Lisa Booth. Who's really on your side when it comes to your health? Insurance companies? Pharmacies that refuse valid prescriptions? Not a chance. The truth is our healthcare system is broken. That's why more people are turning to all Family Pharmacy, an independent pharmacy that's actually on your side. The right side. They fight for your medical freedom, making it simple to get the treatments you trust without the insurance runaround. Right now, ivermectin and mebendazole are 25% off starting at just $2 a capsule and you can save another 10% with code USA10. Choose from over 200 medications, antibiotics, hydroxychloroquine, NAD plus methylene blue, antivirals and more. All the doctor's prescription included and shipped straight to your door. Go to AllFamilyPharmacy.com USA and use code USA10. Again, that's AllFamilyPharmacy.comUSA and use code USA10. If you believe in medical freedom, well, this is your pharmacy.

[Rodney Williams]

I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the Wealth Break. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealthbreak podcast on the iHeartRadio app that.

[Sonos Sponsor Representative]

Shout out to Sonos for supporting today's show at home. Whether I'm watching Monday Night Football or I'm flipping between all the games on Sunday, sound quality matters. And this is where Sonos comes in. Their speakers bring your sports experience and entertainment to life. So whether it's in your own home there or you are out streaming music wherever you might be in your headphones, Sonos is the company for you. Sonos makes it easy to bring all your entertainment into every room in your home with their home theater speaker system. It's amazing. You want to feel like you're in the game. Every crowd moment, every hit Sonos speakers. That's the way to do it. Home theater, cinematic sound. You want to bring those films to the next level. Guess what? That's how you do it. You have the Ace headphones too. Amazing sound quality with crystal clear highs and powerful Bass. You don't just hear the content in those headphones. You feel it. Trust me, I've got a pair. I know what I'm talking about. And you get up to 30 hours of battery, 3 hours of playback with a quick 3 minute charge. It doesn't get better than that. So if you're serious about great sound for football, podcasts or music, you've got to check out Sonos. Visit sonos.com to learn more and explore the full Sonos lineup.

[Tudor Dixon]

I saw you the other day. I don't, I can't remember what you were, who you were on with. Maybe it was like Alex Clark or someone, but you were talking about olive oil and, and it shocked me and I, and I feel like sometimes like, oh, I'm gonna go to the chef and ask him about seed oils. But I really was kind of stunned and I've been stunned since. Cause I just bought olive oil at the store the other day and I bought it because it was like the pretty bottle. I don't know what I'm looking for. I'm gonna admit I have no. I assume I'm getting something healthy because it, the colors are bright and it says organic, you know, And I'm like, that must be perfect. But then all of a sudden you're like, there's this mafia that's bringing in olive oil filled with seed oil. And I'm like, that's probably what I got.

[Andrew Gruel]

Well, just buy US olive oil and it's fine.

[Tudor Dixon]

Seriously, that's. I mean, I really don't know. I have no idea.

[Andrew Gruel]

US olive oil. And I go for the organic as well. Right. Like that's just. And I know that that label has been kind of greenwashed a little bit, but I think it still has some, some strength if it's a US product. And the. Yeah, just the. You buy it. Buy a US organic olive oil. What I also tell people is go with the extra virgin. Like a cold or a, or a cold pressed is best. But if you get like a pomace oil or even like the light olive oil, sometimes that is a lower quality, but you can still use it for cooking. It's great for roasting and pan searing, etc. But a lot of my extra virgin olive oils that I'll pay a pretty penny for, and I'm talking like for 20 plus dollars a bottle. I'm never going to spend $50 on a bottle of olive oil. I always finish with that. Right. Like I always finish with that olive oil. So I never even cook it. And you get the health benefits and the flavor benefits.

[Tudor Dixon]

So I will just say I think that you should continue to put out as much cooking content as you can, because I think it's like, it just totally sucks me in. And I think there have to be people on my same algorithm that are just going to constantly get it, because I think it's fantastic that you cook a London broil and you're like, you know what? This is only going to take five to seven minutes in the oven. I'm just going to finish it with this little cherry sauce, and it's going to be really easy. And all I can think is like, like, well, it says London in it. It must be foreign. I can't do it. So I am so impressed with what you do every day. And I just love watching it.

[Andrew Gruel]

I appreciate that. I. Maybe I should rename it a refugee boil. But, you know, it. It. For me, it's been. And I know there's a ton of, like, culinary content out there, although those of us kind of more on the, like, libertarian right don't like, we don't have that content. Every single platform is just like the same topic just redone over and over again. And my wife and I are like, we're just leaning into this cooking thing because cook. My wife's also a trained chef. My kids get in the kitchen with us. We obviously own and operate restaurants, which, heck, that could be a reality show in and of itself. Craziness with four kids in a restaurant, good idea. But we, we, you know, I try and express to people cooking is actually very easy once you learn some basics, right? Like just those fundamentals, as I talked about, kind of the academic fundamentals, the culinary fundamentals, which are. Which is much smaller subset of information. And once you do it, it's like playing basketball and the hoop is the size of the court. It's really that easy. But we need to get. Get in the kitchen more. That's the problem from the early, like the 1980s to the 1990s. I think it really started in like, the 90s and beyond because I was a latchkey kid. My both my parents worked like, my mother was like, you know, owned her own business. And she still does. She's in her mid-70s and she still works from like 7 in the morning until midnight. And it's unbelievable. She's such a powerful woman, but she. But like, I grew up where it was like the microwave generation. Sara Lee on Christmas morning and like, microwave cinnamon roll. And we need to get back to being in the kitchen as a family. And understanding where our food comes from. And that goes back to what RFK is doing is just establishing awareness.

[Tudor Dixon]

And then. And when you watch your videos, you're like, oh, this is such a cute family. And then your wife walks in and you're like, his wife is smoking hot. Like, your wife is so cute. You guys are just the perfect family. I'm. You know what, you are a nice looking man, but your wife is really beautiful. You are very lucky. So, but, and you guys seem just so happy. So thank you so much. Tell people where they can find your content because I really do think that they should be checking out what you're doing. It's just because it's not only that it's great food and that you're telling people how to make it. It is just really inspiring. It's really nice content.

[Andrew Gruel]

Yeah. So I'm on X at Chef Gruel. You can go to www.americangravy.com. those have all of our cooking videos and they kind of link out and tentacle to all the other social sites. And then I'm on Instagram at Andrew Gruel. Our restaurant is Calico Restaurant in Huntington Beach. So calico-restaurant.com so if anybody watching is in Huntington beach near Huntington beach or coming through Huntington, if you come in and mention that you watch this podcast, I'll take care of your meal.

[Tudor Dixon]

Awesome. So I have to come in at some point. So next time I am out your way, I'm going to stop by Chef Andrew Gruel. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast.

[Andrew Gruel]

Thanks for having me. It's an honor.

[Tudor Dixon]

Absolutely. And thank you all for listening to the Tutor Dixon podcast. For this episode and others go to tutor dixon podcast.com, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and you can watch it at rumble or YouTube uterdixon. So join us next time and have a blessed day.

[Commercial Announcer]

This Labor Day, say goodbye to spills, stains and overpriced furniture with washablesofas.com featuring Annabe, the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly pricing. Sofas start at just $6.99, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Anibe's pet friendly stain resistant and interchangeable slipcovers are made with high performance fabric built for real life. You'll love the cloud like comfort of hypoallergenic, high resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time with modular pieces. You can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your life now through Labor Day. Get up to 60% off site [e-mail] Every order comes with a 30 day set satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees. Every penny back. Shop [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Christina Quinn]

If you eat too many ultra processed foods, you could be starving your gut microbes and they'll get hangry. That's one of many things I learned after working on a new audio course about the gut microbiome. You can learn how to keep your gut happy by listening to Try this from the Washington Post. I'm Christina Quinn. I host Try this. Dig in with me on practical advice for life's common challenges. Follow Try this right now, wherever you're listening. Seriously, try it. You want smart political talk without the meltdowns?

[Andrew Gruel]

We got you.

[Tudor Dixon]

I'm Carol Markowitz.

[Andrew Gruel]

And I'm Mary Kathryn Hamm.

[Christina Quinn]

We've been around the block in media.

[Tudor Dixon]

And we're doing things differently. Normally is about real conversations, thought, thoughtful. Try to be funny, grounded, and no panic.

[Christina Quinn]

We'll keep you informed and entertained without ruining your day.

[Tudor Dixon]

Join us every Tuesday and Thursday Normally on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Christina Quinn]

This is an iHeart podcast.