Standish913.com has been blessed to do an exclusive interview with...
"BRADLEY WILDRIDGE"!
Let's get into some exclusive questions...
STANDISH: What is the first thing you ever remember cooking?
If we're going all the way back, it's mud pies in my Nana's backyard. My first real cooking memory though is standing on a stool in my Gammy's kitchen, cracking eggs and pouring milk into a bowl of flour trying to make pancakes before my grandparents could wake up. Another fun one I remember is turning a whole bottle of file gumbo powder into my face to smell it and chocking it down my throat, in my nose, and eyes, to say the least I've been cautious around it to this day!
STANDISH: Who is someone you looked up to as a child & still do today?
Celebrity wise I would say Emeril. I was fascinated with his show as a kid before you could pause tv, and i would furiously take notes and try to copy the recipe as he went. He truly helped inspire my passion to pursue cooking. My Gammy is someone I have always looked up to, she has always held her head high, and showed me to persevere even through the darkest of days. She taught me the fundamentals of cooking and living, my favorite motto from her is simply six words, "life is what you make it"
STANDISH: What is something you hate doing in the kitchen?
I absolutely cannot stand shucking oysters. My first professional kitchen was in Alaska, and I couldn't even count how many oysters I've had to shuck. It is so tedious, fragile, and frustrating. I could go without ever seeing an oyster again in my life.
STANDISH: What's the most nerve racking part of being on Hell's Kitchen?
Not knowing at any given moment what can happen. Gordon Ramsay wants you out in the kitchen now? RUN. You just fell asleep? LIGHTS ON, GET OUT OF BED. Are we in trouble, can we relax, do we need to be dressed and ready to go, will I get to eat before nightly confessionals? You're always on your toes, I'm generally pretty organized and a big TO DO list type of person, so the structure of things really had my stomach in knots the whole time.
STANDISH: How is it working with Gordon Ramsay? Any good advice he's given you?
Gordon Ramsay is the most down to earth man I have ever met in my life. Working alongside him and receiving mentorship from him was truly mindblowing. When it comes down to it, he is the heart of a chef. Caring, charismatic, intelligent, and when it gets down to crunch time, he means business. Some amazing advice I got from Gordon Ramsay was to enjoy every moment of spare time to the fullest. Turn of your phone, be present with nature, family, friends, yourself. It is easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle and that has helped me to take moments for myself to recenter.
STANDISH: Did you expect to land Hell's Kitchen?
I thought it was a long shot, but a good friend of mine was a past finalist (Cody season 19) and he may have put in a good word for me! Even after initial meetings with casting agents, it didn't feel real. The farther into the casting process I got the more I realized "this might actually happen?" but i didn't truly EXPECT to get on the show, but I will say there was a lot of HOPING. (feel free to use this part or not - as my wife always says, you can shit in one hand and hope in the other and see which one fills up first.) That being said, I was definitely sending tons of positive energy and affirmations out into the universe!
STANDISH: What is your favorite food for take out? Why?
PIZZA. Any kind really. It has always been my go to lazy dinner (other than taco bell) but pizza night was a big thing for me growing up. sitting around the table and passing the box, just family time you know? It is very nostalgic for me, and in my first kitchen the first station off of prep I was allowed to work alone was brick oven pizzas. It will always have a special place in my heart.
STANDISH: Tell the readers your reoccurring kitchen nightmare…
Ever since the filming of Hell's Kitchen, I have yet to have a dream that doesn't include a chef coat, a casino (we filmed at the Foxwoods casino), or rooms divided by red and blue. Honestly it is wild because I dream A LOT and this is genuinely reoccurring in every dream since last year. I definitely wouldn't say all are nightmares because this is in every dream, but it is absolutely constant and kitchen related!
STANDISH: What is the most underrated cooking ingredient in your opinion?
Vinegar. There's so many types, and ways to use it. It softens meat, it adds acid, you use it in dressings & sauces, it curdles dairy, hell it even cleans! It's one of the most versatile ingredients in any kitchen.
STANDISH: What do you listen to while you chef it up?
I personally am a metal head myself. Anything from Meshuggah to August Burns Red to I Set My Friends On Fire, theres COUNTLESS names, I love all heavy music in general. BUT you can also catch me bumping oldies, 90's, hip hop, rap, EDM, I'm a jack of all trades if you will. And yes, I am "one of those guys" I will listen to anything BESIDES country, even having grown up in the south!
STANDISH: How many times a week does the walk-in cooler hear your screams?
Only every time I go into it. (Every day) I joke, but really probably once every week, I think walk-in yelling sessions are therapeutic. Hash it out with yourself, don't take it out on the other Chefs.
STANDISH: If you could change one thing in the world today, what would that be?
Division. I wish everyone could see eye to eye, just even momentarily so we could have true understanding and peace. Everything is so divided today I feel like you have to stand on one side or the other on any given issue without there just being middle ground, or understanding both sides of the situation. I try to bring unity with my cooking, fusing different cultures and techniques that can hopefully spark conversation and relationships that last lifetimes. I think bottom line everyone needs to take a chill pill, and open their eyes a little wider to some of the madness surrounding us ALL at the moment.
STANDISH: What are your social links?
Instagram: ME- https://www.instagram.com/b_radwilddudeoffood/
BAYOU - https://www.instagram.com/bayou.onthebay/
TIK TOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@b_radwild7
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BradleyWildridge
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/bwild7/
STANDISH: Anything else you'd like to include?
I just want to say I am so grateful for being a part of this wild journey of Hell's Kitchen, and a huge shoutout to all the support from family, friends, and the amazing online community who is cheering me on and showing love. Thank YOU Standish, it's interviews like this that help get people to know the person behind the face and edits on TV and I greatly appreciate it.
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