Even the most disciplined stars have their guilty pleasures. From butter chicken and biryani to pizza and desserts, discover the comfort foods celebrities return to time and again.
Celebrity food stories have a reliability problem.
A favourite dish mentioned once in an interview can quickly become a claim about somebody’s “secret diet,” while second-hand lists repeat one another until the original source disappears.
Every entry below is based on a public interview, statement or attributed report. They are documented food preferences — not private information and not nutrition advice.
1. Salman Khan — biryani
Salman Khan’s trainer Rakkesh Udiyar has identified biryani as one of the actor’s favourite indulgences, while Khan’s family has also spoken about his preference for home-cooked food. The Times of India.
2. Hrithik Roshan — burgers and pizza
Hrithik Roshan’s personal chef Shubham Vishwakarma has described tandoori chicken, barbecue chicken, a no-carb burger and jowar-based pizza among the actor’s preferred indulgent meals. Hindustan Times.
3. Deepika Padukone — biryani and spicy ramen
Deepika Padukone identified biryani as a favourite cheat meal in a 2021 social-media Q&A reported by The Indian Express. In 2026, chef Harsh Dixit also said he prepared ramen for Padukone and that she requested an especially spicy version. The Indian Express.
4. Alia Bhatt — ramen and dessert
Chef Harsh Dixit said in 2026 that he had prepared chicken-and-pork ramen for Alia Bhatt and that she enjoyed the original version of the dish. Bhatt has also discussed desserts publicly, including dudhi ka halwa. Vogue India.
5. Ananya Panday — butter chicken, cheese naan and a long Sunday menu
Ananya Panday has described cheat-day foods including cookies, pancakes, burgers, pasta, butter chicken, cheese naan, sushi and pizza. The Indian Express.
6. Tiger Shroff — ice cream, pizza and vada pav
Tiger Shroff has publicly discussed having a strong sweet tooth, with ice cream, pizza and vada pav reported among his indulgences. Hindustan Times.
7. Katrina Kaif — pancakes
Pancakes have become closely associated with Katrina Kaif through public comments by husband Vicky Kaushal, who has described their differing food backgrounds as “paranthas” meeting “pancakes.” Hindustan Times.
8. Akshay Kumar — his mother’s ajwain paratha
Asked what he would choose if calories did not matter, Akshay Kumar identified the ajwain paratha his mother used to make on Sundays. Hindustan Times.
9. Kartik Aaryan — rasmalai
Kartik Aaryan avoided sugar during the extended physical preparation for Chandu Champion. When filming wrapped in 2024, he celebrated by eating rasmalai, which he described as a favourite. The Indian Express.
10. Janhvi Kapoor — pasta, momos and chocolate
Reporting based on Janhvi Kapoor’s comments has included cheesy pasta, fries, momos, chocolate desserts, paya and junglee mutton among the foods she enjoys when eating more indulgently. The Times of India.
11. Rakul Preet Singh — an at-home buffet
Rakul Preet Singh has described following an 80/20 approach and, for indulgent meals, ordering different foods from several restaurants to create a buffet at home with friends and family. Hindustan Times.
12. Raashii Khanna — dark chocolate ice cream
In a 2026 interview, Raashii Khanna named dark chocolate as her favourite ice-cream flavour and singled out vanilla ice cream with a hot brownie as another favourite pairing. Hindustan Times.
13. Kareena Kapoor Khan — waffles with maple syrup
During her pregnancy in 2020, Kareena Kapoor Khan shared waffles with maple syrup and joked publicly about whether they should count as a normal meal or a cheat meal. Hindustan Times.
14. Mrunal Thakur — puran poli
Mrunal Thakur has connected festive eating with family tradition. Speaking about Holi, she said her family makes puran poli every year and also mentioned aamti bhaat, kurdai papad, bhajiya and festive desserts. Hindustan Times.
15. Manav Kaul — chocolate, cheese, samosa and chai
In a Hindustan Times weekend interview, Manav Kaul chose chocolate and cheese when asked about an indulgent weekend option and identified samosa and chai among the street foods that make his day. Hindustan Times.
Why “cheat meal” needs context
“Cheat meal” is not a formal nutritional category, and different people use the expression differently.
Some of these examples refer to a deliberately indulgent meal. Others are simply favourite foods, desserts or dishes tied to family memories.
The useful part of celebrity food stories is not pretending that a public figure’s diet should become somebody else’s eating plan. It is seeing how familiar foods — biryani, parathas, ramen, ice cream, rasmalai and home cooking — continue to appear behind highly managed public images.
That is both more accurate and more interesting than calling those preferences “secret.”
