The newest member of the Huntington Beach City Council may not have a ton of political experience, but we know he can take some heat. Andrew Gruel is an acclaimed chef and owner of seafood chain Slapfish. In 2014, he was best known for dishing out culinary critiques as a judge on the Food Network's Food Truck Face Off.
Gruel was appointed to the city council this month to replace Tony Strickland after his election to the State Senate. Like all of his colleagues on the council, Gruel is a staunch Republican and a diehard supporter of the MAGA agenda. He occasionally appears as a guest commentator on Fox News.
Gruel became politically active during the COVID-19 pandemic. He accused the state of investigating him for labor violations as retaliation for criticizing lockdowns.
Gruel will hold the seat through the remainder of Strickland’s term, which ends in December of 2026.
The last well-known figure outside of politics to join the Huntington Beach City Council was former UFC fighter Tito Ortiz. He resigned from the council in 2021, less than six months into his term, over an unemployment filing scandal.