A White House chef with 24-inch biceps says even he was intimidated by Michelle Obama's exercise regimen, calling her 'a workout beast'

• Chef Andre Rush worked as a White House chef under four presidents.
• A combat veteran and former Army chef, he said presidents would often comment on his stature.
• He does 2,222 push-ups a day, but said Michelle Obama is a "workout beast."

Andre Rush, a combat veteran who worked as a White House chef under four administrations, does 2,222 push-ups a day. But even he was intimidated by first lady Michelle Obama's workout regimen.

A former Army chef, Rush prepared meals for Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump. He now uses his platform to advocate for military service members and suicide prevention. His memoir, "Call Me Chef, Dammit! A Journey From the Rural South to White House," will be published by HarperCollins this fall.

Rush's 24-inch biceps went viral in 2018 when he was photographed preparing food for a White House Ramadan event. It wasn't the first time his muscular build attracted attention - the presidents he worked for often took notice, as well.

"My interactions with the presidents were always about my physical stature," Rush told Insider. "I was always the biggest person in the room. So I was always the odd ball, which made it a little bit uncomfortable sometimes. But when you get the president asking you for fitness advice, it's always a thrill to have a conversation about that, knowing that they're into fitness and they see the work you put into it."

One person who didn't need his fitness advice? Former first lady Michelle Obama.

"She was already a workout beast, so she was intimidating," Rush said.

The former first lady has been known to host bootcamp weekends with her friends and attend SoulCycle classes around Washington, DC, in addition to her advocacy for children's health through her Let's Move! campaign.

In 2015, in honor of the fifth anniversary of Let's Move!, she shared a video of her gym routine, which included jumping rope, squatting, sit-ups, kickboxing, and lifting a pair of 35-pound weights.