What Does Taylor Hicks Eat for Breakfast?

Chick-Fil-A, Waffle House, and the Krystal Sunriser make this Southern "American Idol" winner's list of (early-early) morning faves

By E.C. GladstonePhotographer Courtesy Caesars Entertainment

October 8, 2013

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Well-remembered for his colorful dark-horse victory in the fifth season of American Idol, Taylor Hicks has proven to be a rare kind of modern artist—one with integrity and a sense of roots. Since winning, he has been performing live relentlessly, including a lengthy stint on Broadway. Hicks is also co-owner of Saw’s Juke Joint, a restaurant and club in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, and he credits his success in the industry with performing in bars. “If you want to buy a restaurant,” he says, “play acoustic guitar in one every week for two years.” Currently, he splits his time between a recurring gig at the Paris Las Vegas hotel and a Nashville recording studio, where he’s completing his first country album.

Depending on how much steak I've eaten and wine I've drunk the night before, I get up early—9 a.m. is fairly early for me—and immediately work out. I try to burn as many calories as I can: I do a lot of elliptical, a lot of running, and a lot of steam. The one thing that you have to have out here [in Vegas] if you’re a vocalist is moist air. The steam is very key. And considering the number of buffets that I have free access to, being able to use a gym is also key.

Then hunger sets in.

I like breakfast sandwiches, and the Krystal Sunriser might be the best breakfast sandwich on Earth. It has a really soft bun and sausage, eggs, and cheese on it. It’s great if you’re out until 5 or 6 in the morning and you happen to catch the 5:30 first shift. That’s what I used to do when I played clubs; I would almost stay out until they opened. There's also a lot to be said for the Chick-fil-A sausage and gravy sandwich. And then you have Waffle House, of course.

I don’t have a kitchen in my hotel room, [but] I like to cook breakfast depending on what time of night it is. I’m not afraid to eat breakfast at three in the morning. As a kid I used to go to bed at 8 p.m., wake up at 1 a.m. when my grandma would cook me breakfast, and then I’d pass out again.

Cooking is like music: you can tell when someone puts love into it. I come from a place where there was so much attention to detail. The population is smaller in the South, so more attention is given to serving smaller numbers of people. Any Southerner is spoiled when it comes to food.