First It Was Vegan Chicken, Now Travis Barker Can't Get Enough of Plant-Based Cheese

Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has been vegan for a while—17 years, in fact—and yet it seems we’re only just getting to know his favorite foods. 

Last week, the musician showed his more than eight million Instagram followers how to make a vegan cheese quesadilla. The reel shows Barker pulling out an onion, green bell pepper, Violife shredded vegan cheese, Violife vegan sour cream, and soft tortillas out of his fridge. 

He pulls together the meal by chopping the vegetables and heating up a pan on his stove—all with the sound of his drumsticks hitting the counter. 

After cooking the quesadilla with all the fillings, Barker takes a bite. “Damn, Violife is f*cking awesome,” he exclaims.

Is Travis Barker vegan?

At the age of 13, Travis Barker went vegetarian for the first time. But, after surviving a tragic plane crash in 2008, the drummer spent 11 weeks in the hospital and then decided to go fully vegan.

He told Men’s Journal that following a plant-based diet gives him “endless amounts of energy.” He also said that he snacks on strawberries, blueberries, and açaí berries, and added: “I find myself eating plates of broccoli or cauliflower at times.”

He later told GQ that he also loves vegan pizza, sushi, ice cream, and Vietnamese food.

Ellen von Unwerth

And, it turns out, Barker also loves vegan chicken. The Violife video comes not long after Barker and wife Kourtney Kardashian Barker shared their love of vegan chicken from brand Daring Foods. 

The couple first partnered with the brand on its “Saucy” campaign in 2022, and since then they have continued to post themselves eating the vegan chicken everywhere—including in their bathroom. 

In the campaigns, the couple have also been pictured eating the vegan chicken in their limo, in their hotel room at West Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont, and during a ‘50s themed pool party.

Ellen von Unwerth

Barker is also a big fan of Crossroads Kitchen, an upscale vegan restaurant he helped launch together with legendary chef Tal Ronnen. Best known for its West Hollywood, CA flagship location, Crossroads has recently expanded to outposts in Calabasas, CA, and Las Vegas, NV. 

What’s his go-to order at the celeb hotspot? According to Kardashian Barker’s wellness blog, Poosh, the couple are big fans of Crossroads’ Romaine Caesar Salad, Fried Olives, Squash Blossoms, Tempeh Piccata, and Chili Cheese Fries. 

Travis Barker’s CBD brand

In addition to being vegan, Barker is also mindful of keeping his mind and body healthy in other ways. Last year, the musician launched a vegan company that incorporates a variety of cannabinoids such as CBD, CBG, CBN, and CBC into tinctures and topical products that promote physical and mental well-being. 

With a mission to provide vegan products for optimal physical and mental health, Barker also expanded his vegan CBD brand to include vegan skincare products that also incorporate wellness-promoting cannabinoids. 

Barker Wellness

“I started trying lots of different CBD products in my own daily routine and saw their benefits first hand,” Barker said in a statement at the time. “So I decided to create my own ideal formulas and share them with anyone looking to improve their general health.” 

Celebs eating vegan food

Barker and Kardashian Barker aren’t the only celebrities to partner with vegan brands to promote their products—or launch their own. Recently, singer and actress Reneé Rapp partnered with fast-casual restaurant chain Sweetgreen to add her go-to vegan Sweetgreen order to its menu nationwide. 

The “Reneé Rapp bowl” features spring mix lettuce, cilantro, cucumber, red onion, shredded cabbage, spicy broccoli, tomato, roasted tofu, and a spicy cashew dressing. 

Earlier this year, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay partnered with food technology company Borealis Foods to help bring its Chef Woo and Ramen Express vegan ramen meals to the world to help combat food insecurity. 

Gordon Ramsay/YouTube

Borealis Founder and CEO Reza Soltanzadeh said he believes Ramsay’s partnership and valuable guidance will have a significant impact on the company’s objectives. 

“We are privileged that Gordon Ramsay has chosen to become a strategic partner and advisor, helping us advance our objectives with his culinary guidance, business acumen, and international recognition,” Soltanzadeh said in a statement. 

NBA star Chris Paul also supports a number of vegan brands, including Beyond Meat, Eat Just (which makes Just Egg), and Koia. Most recently, Paul joined Wicked Kitchen as an investor to support its mission of making vegan food widely available.  

Good Eat’n

Last year, Paul went a step further by launching his own vegan snack brand Good Eat’n. Available exclusively through delivery platform GoPuff, the vegan snack brand is built around nostalgic flavors and offers seven sweet and savory his own vegan snack brand Good Eat’n snacks from popcorn to tortilla chips to porkless rinds. 

“Cool Ranch Doritos was my thing. That was my snack at school or at lunch time or during the summer. Or when I was playing on travel teams,” Paul previously told VegNews during a press conference. “And so now, to have our flavor that gives you that same nostalgia but you know that it’s plant-based has been the coolest thing.”

Nicole Axworthy is the News Editor at VegNews and author of the cookbook DIY Vegan.