Beyoncé’s (44) Chef Reveals What the Superstar Eats Before Performances

Performing a two hour, high energy stadium show takes a serious physical toll, night after night, city after city. Most people watching from the crowd probably never think much about what actually fuels that kind of performance.

The chef who has cooked for Beyoncé since 2010 has shared real insight into how food factors into life on tour. Keep reading to see what that actually looks like.

The Same Chef Has Cooked For Her Since 2010

Chef Mike Shand has worked as Beyoncé’s private chef since joining her I Am World Tour, cooking for both her and Jay Z in the years since. He has described his approach as centered on real, whole food, prioritizing organic, preservative free ingredients over anything processed.

That philosophy grew out of his own upbringing on a farm in New Zealand, where fresh, homegrown food was simply the norm. Years later, that same instinct became the foundation of how he feeds one of the biggest performers in the world.

One Dish Became A Genuine Tour Favorite

One specific dish Shand developed while touring turned into a lasting favorite. He created what became known as Love Baked Wings while on the road with Beyoncé, along with a vegan version made from chickpeas for anyone avoiding meat.

Both dishes proved popular enough that Shand eventually built restaurants around them. Years after first serving them on tour, they remain staples associated with his time cooking for her.

Her Own Diet Leans Mostly Plant Based

Beyond what her chef prepares, Beyoncé has spoken publicly about her own food choices too. She has said she gave up meat entirely except for turkey, leaning on that one high protein option specifically to support her energy while staying mostly plant based otherwise.

That combination of mostly plant based eating with occasional lean protein reflects a broader pattern in how she has approached food around major performances. It is a far cry from the extreme, restrictive diet she has said she followed to prepare for her post-partum Coachella performance, an experience she has said she never wants to repeat.

An Entire Team Keeps The Whole Tour Fed

Shand is not working alone either, tours of this scale now travel with an entire culinary team. Reports have described Beyoncé’s touring crew including as many as fourteen professional chefs, including a dedicated vegan chef and pastry chef, all working to keep both the star and hundreds of crew members properly fed.

That scale reflects a broader shift in how major tours operate today, treating food as essential to performance rather than an afterthought. A single case of food poisoning can cancel a show and cost millions, which is part of why so much planning goes into every single meal.

So the next time Beyoncé delivers another flawless, hours long performance, some credit belongs to the chefs working behind the scenes to keep her properly fueled. Sometimes the real secret to a legendary show starts long before the lights even come up, in the kitchen.