What's Travis Kelce's Favorite Food? The Star Tight End's Culinary Tastes

November 1, 2025 •

3 min read

Since joining the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013, tight end Travis Kelce has eaten the same pre-game meal of French toast and strawberries before every single game. So, while the answer to what's Travis Kelce's favorite food might seem simple, his dietary habits extend far beyond this beloved superstition to include a mix of indulgent comfort foods, nutritious meals, and even date-night dishes.

Quick Summary

An exploration of Travis Kelce's eclectic palate, from his game day French toast ritual to his appreciation for Kansas City barbecue, high-end steakhouse cuisine, and various comfort foods. The article also touches on his meal plan guided by a private chef and his newfound passion for cooking for his girlfriend.

Key Points

Game Day Ritual: Travis Kelce eats French toast with strawberries before every game for a carb boost and mental comfort.
Chef-Guided Diet: His in-season diet is carefully managed by personal chef Kumar Ferguson, focusing on lean proteins like steak and chicken for performance and recovery.
Kansas City BBQ Fan: Kelce loves Kansas City barbecue, particularly Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, but limits his intake during the season.
Comfort Food Indulgences: He enjoys fast food from Burger King and Waffle House, as well as pizza parties with friends and family.
Home Cook: Kelce has learned to make homemade shrimp linguine with spicy lemon garlic sauce, his 'date night' dish.
Food Preferences: He is famously picky about some foods, notably avoiding sausage links and New Orleans dishes like gumbo and jambalaya.
Taylor Swift's Cooking: His girlfriend Taylor Swift has impressed him with her homemade Pop-Tarts, cinnamon rolls, and mac and cheese.

From Game-Day Fuel to Gourmet Grub

Travis Kelce's dietary profile is a fascinating mix of high-performance nutrition and indulgent personal tastes. As a top-tier NFL athlete, his food choices are strategically managed by a personal chef to fuel his body, but his fondness for comfort foods and local Kansas City specialties also shines through.

The Pregame Ritual: French Toast

For more than a decade, Kelce has been a creature of habit when it comes to his pregame fuel. His consistent pre-game meal is French toast with strawberries. This ritual is strategic for energy, as Kelce explained that the carbs and sugar elevate his blood glucose for the game. The meal also provides a sense of routine and comfort before high-pressure events.

The Kansas City Barbecue Connection

While his in-season diet is carefully managed, Kelce is a noted fan of Kansas City's famous barbecue scene. His stated favorite is Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, where he has enjoyed various dishes. His love for local BBQ was highlighted at his Kelce Jam festival, which featured Joe's KC.

The Chef-Guided Performance Diet

To balance his indulgences, Kelce works with his personal chef, Kumar Ferguson. Ferguson curates a diet of "healthy steakhouse cuisine" focused on performance and recovery. The diet includes lean proteins like steak and chicken with vegetables, emphasizing fuel, hydration, and nutritional support. Kelce is also known to be a picky eater, avoiding certain items like sausage links and processed foods.

The Home Cook and Date Night Delight

Kelce has also shown interest in cooking. He's mentioned learning to make homemade pasta and describes his signature date night dish as shrimp linguine with spicy lemon garlic sauce. His girlfriend, Taylor Swift, has also impressed him with her baking, making homemade Pop-Tarts and cinnamon rolls. Another source noted his enjoyment of her mac and cheese.

Travis Kelce's Food Preferences: A Comparison


Aspect	Game Day	Everyday/In-Season	Off-Season/Indulgence
Primary Meal	French Toast with Strawberries	"Healthy Steakhouse Cuisine"	Kansas City Barbecue, Fast Food
Key Ingredients	Bread, Eggs, Strawberries, Syrup	Lean Steaks, Chops, Chicken, Vegetables	Ribs, Brisket, Burnt Ends, Burgers
Purpose	Carb-loading, Energy Boost	High-Protein, Nutrient-Dense Fuel	Comfort, Indulgence, Social Events
Guidance	Personal Superstition	Personal Chef (Kumar Ferguson)	Personal Choice, Regional Favorites
Notable Restrictions	Limited, focuses on the meal	Avoids processed food, sausage links	Relishes regional delicacies like Joe's KC BBQ
Source	Inside Hook interview	Food Network, Times of India interviews	Food Network, Allrecipes interviews

A Culinary Journey: A Deeper Look into Kelce's Tastes

Kelce's diet balances strict athletic nutrition with a love for indulgent foods. While his personal chef guides his structured plan for performance, he enjoys culinary pleasures. The contrast between his pregame ritual and off-season feasting highlights a well-rounded approach. His appreciation for Kansas City barbecue connects him to his adopted city, and his interest in home cooking shows a broader culinary curiosity.

Kelce has specific food dislikes, notably avoiding sausage links, jambalaya, and gumbo. However, this pickiness doesn't prevent him from enjoying a Burger King Whopper or post-game pizza.

Ultimately, what's Travis Kelce's favorite food has multiple answers: his pre-game French toast, Joe's KC BBQ, chef-prepared meals, and his homemade shrimp linguine. Each preference reveals a different aspect of the NFL star's relationship with food.

Conclusion

While Travis Kelce is famous for his consistent pre-game French toast with strawberries, his dietary habits are diverse. His diet includes performance-focused meals from his personal chef and comforting indulgences like barbecue and fast food. This balance reflects the life of a professional athlete. His tastes connect him to his community and roots, while his interest in home cooking, including enjoying Taylor Swift's baking, shows his evolving palate.

[Travis Kelce on New Heights Podcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO_i4ZcQNQY)

How the Stars Eat: Diet vs. Indulgence


Aspect	Travis Kelce	Patrick Mahomes	Taylor Swift
Diet Type	High-protein with balanced carbs	Structured diet with protein focus	Varied, includes home cooking
Game Day Food	French Toast with Strawberries	Steak	Reportedly enjoys pre-game French toast with Travis
Favorite Snack	Mama Kelce's cookies, sometimes pastries from Taylor	Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos, ketchup	Cheez-It Crackers
Indulgence	Joe's KC BBQ, Burger King, Waffle House, pizza	Reportedly enjoys steak and fast food	Cheeseburgers and fries, chocolate shakes
Cuisine Type	Steakhouse, BBQ, Comfort Food	Steak, fast food	Home-cooked meals, comfort food, baking
Source	Various interviews and reports	Interviews and social media	Interviews and social media

Frequently Asked Questions

Travis Kelce's pre-game meal is consistently French toast with strawberries, a tradition he has maintained since joining the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013.

Yes, Travis Kelce works with his childhood friend and personal chef, Kumar Ferguson, who helps manage his diet with a focus on high-protein, nutrient-dense meals for performance and recovery.

Travis Kelce is a major fan of Kansas City barbecue, and his favorite spot is Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, where he enjoys menu items like ribs and burnt ends.

Kelce has publicly praised Burger King's Whopper as the best fast-food burger and has also expressed his fondness for Waffle House.

During an interview at Kelce Jam 2024, Kelce revealed his signature date night meal is homemade shrimp linguine with a spicy lemon garlic sauce.

Travis Kelce is a somewhat picky eater and is known to dislike certain foods. He finds sausage links "disgusting" and has openly stated his dislike for New Orleans dishes like gumbo and jambalaya.

Yes, Travis Kelce has complimented Taylor Swift's baking skills, stating that she makes amazing Pop-Tarts and cinnamon rolls. Another source mentioned he enjoyed her homemade mac and cheese.