Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars winner Jess Druey is raising her glasses high to her mentor, Lisa Vanderpump.
On Wednesday, July 24, the founder of Whiny Baby was crowned champion of Fox’s reality show. While the $250,000 cash prize is life-changing, Druey, 26, remains extra grateful for the friendship she developed with Vanderpump, 63, on the show.
“We didn’t know going on to the show about her involvement,” Druey exclusively shared with Us Weekly while celebrating her win. “We just thought it was Gordon. I’m a longtime fan of Gordon, but I’m a Bravo girlie.”
Growing up in California, Druey watched Vanderpump on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for many seasons before the businesswoman ventured onto her own show, Vanderpump Rules. A brief stint in West Hollywood also allowed Druey to visit Vanderpump’s restaurants, including SUR and TomTom Restaurant & Bar.
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When she chose to be on Vanderpump’s team instead of Gordon Ramsay’s, Druey said it was a “match made in heaven.”
“They say never meet your idols in person because they can never live up to it,” she told Us. “But Lisa so far surpassed it. Her humor is exactly what you see. Even off-camera, she’s not rolling in with this crazy squad. She’s so down to earth and so talented and real, and it just speaks to her success.”
Throughout the show, Druey learned from the “hospitality icon” that you don’t need to be “super buttoned up” and “extra polished.” Vanderpump showed her it’s OK to be vulnerable and make mistakes in a business that is always changing.
Vanderpump’s advice has already proven helpful for Druey’s company, which hopes to introduce wine to a new group of consumers.
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Before appearing on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, Druey’s wine business was on shelves in major stores like Target, Bevmo and Total Wine in four states. Since then, Whiny Baby has expanded to 20 more states..
“My personal dream is to start going down the hospitality route creating wine tastings or tasting rooms in person or at bars,” Druey teased. “Whiny Baby is about bringing people together in person and with Lisa Vanderpump, every single one of her locations is, like, you walk in and it’s a transformed experience. It takes you out of the real world. It gives me goosebumps because she is doing what I hope to do for this young generation.”
Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars is available to stream now on Hulu.
