Travis Kelce’s culinary horizons have expanded significantly thanks to his relationship with Taylor Swift, though the Kansas City Chiefs tight end still has his limits when it comes to certain textures. During the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce, Travis shared that he has become more adventurous with food since dating Swift.
“I’m starting to open up to new cuisines,” Travis admitted during the conversation. Jason, 36, was quick to credit Swift for broadening his brother’s palate, saying, “I know. My girl Tay is getting you opened up. She’s introducing new foods to you, and it has been one of the greatest things that I’ve been happy about.”
Travis confirmed that Swift has indeed played a role in getting him to try new dishes. One of his favorite spots now is the Philadelphia-based Israeli restaurant Zahav, a hotspot known for its innovative takes on Middle Eastern cuisine. Jason gave a shout-out to the restaurant’s chef, Michael Solomonov, praising the food and the dining experience.
“That was awesome. I like that spot a lot,” Travis said, though he quickly admitted that he’s still somewhat picky when it comes to certain foods. While his taste has evolved, there are some dishes he still avoids—particularly anything with a mushy or overly thick texture.
When Jason asked about his thoughts on curry, Travis said, “I’m in on, like, a light curry. But the more it gets thicker and looks like baby food or baby s–t, then I’m out.”
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Jason humorously diagnosed his brother’s hesitation as a “mental block” against food that looks unappetizing. “Food that looks like it just came out of a butthole? Yes, I do have a mental block for that, yeah,” Travis confessed with a laugh.
The brothers continued to joke about Travis’ texture issues, with Jason teasing that Travis would still eat chili if it were covered in enough cheese to disguise the texture. Travis played along, saying, “Just throw cheese on it. I’ll be all right. Won’t even know. Come out the same way it went in,” prompting laughter from the podcast producers.
Despite his willingness to explore new flavors, there are still some dishes that remain a hard pass for Travis. He revealed that he’s not a fan of New Orleans-style food, especially anything with a “soupy rice” texture, like jambalaya. “It’s like poo-y,” he said, describing the consistency of the dish.
Jason, exasperated, asked, “You’re still judging food by its color? You’re still at this stage?” Travis’ response made it clear that, while his tastes are expanding, some habits die hard.
Ironically, this conversation about his evolving palate came just after Travis reflected on turning 35, a milestone birthday. Jason, who playfully mocked his brother for still wearing a Heavyweights movie T-shirt, said, “You turned 35. That’s a big birthday. Everybody knows every time there’s a five or a zero at the end, it’s a milestone birthday.”
Travis laughed off the comment, joking, “It feels like I’m the fattest kid at camp,” referencing the movie Heavyweights about a summer camp for kids struggling with their weight.
Travis celebrated his birthday without Swift, who had scheduling conflicts, but she was on hand to cheer him on during the Chiefs’ game against the New Orleans Saints at Arrowhead Stadium the following Monday. The couple, who began dating in the summer of 2023, has been spotted dining together at numerous restaurants around the world.
They’ve enjoyed meals at some of the finest spots globally, including Elena in Buenos Aires, Koma in Singapore, and Locanda La Tirlindana in Lake Como, Italy. Stateside, they’ve been seen at Nobu Malibu, Prime Social in Kansas City, and Waverly Inn in New York City.
While Travis might still have his reservations about certain textures and colors of food, Swift’s influence is clearly helping him step outside his culinary comfort zone.
Whether he’ll ever fully embrace the thicker, mushier dishes remains to be seen, but for now, the star tight end is expanding his palate one meal at a time—just not if it looks like “baby s–t.”
