“Slim Jim, beef jerky, 100 percent. Later, sausage biscuit, no egg, with cheese from McDonald’s.” —Scott Drewno of Chiko in Washington, 2018 James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant semifinalist

“Diet Coke and Honeybuns. Then, either Big Mac with medium fries or chicken and dumplings with mac and cheese and extra cornbread, at Cracker Barrel.” —Erik Bruner-Yang of Maketto in Washington, 2016 James Beard Foundation Best Chef in America semifinalist

“Chili cheese Fritos and a Cheer Wine. No question, Popeye’s. I get a three-piece box of spicy, two orders of red beans, and a biscuit. With sweet tea.” —John Currence of City Grocery Restaurant Group, Oxford, Miss., 2009 James Beard Foundation Best Chef South winner

“Two-for-one dollar peanuts. And french fries. I don’t care where they’re from. I might even stop at three places and get three different fries.” —Vishwesh Bhatt of Snackbar in Oxford, Miss., 2017 James Beard Foundation Best Chef finalist

“Beef jerky. Whatever’s available. At some level, the sh--ier the packaging, then you know it’s made somewhere around there. And soda water. For the other, hamburger at Whataburger—with tots, if they have them.” —Neal Bodenheimer of Cure in New Orleans, 2018 James Beard Foundation Best Bar Program winner

“Funyuns and a Dr. Pepper. For the other, Chick-fil-A. The original. I’ve been known to eat three or four at a time.” —David Guas of Bayou Bakery in Arlington, Va., host of Travel Channel’s American Grilled

“For me, it’s Jack Links, the fancy jerky. I’m going to sound so millennial, but Starbucks iced chai latte—two pumps of chai—and that smoked double-bacon-egg sandwich thing they have. I had one this morning.” —Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani in Asheville, N.C., Bon Appétit 10 Best New Restaurants in America 2016

“Boiled peanuts. And that Taco Bell Dorito shell, especially the fiery one.” —Kat Kinsman, senior food and drinks editor at Extra Crispy

“Slim Jim. I need the protein and the fat. I’m really straightforward. Second, I want two cheeseburgers, small fries, and a bottle of water.” —Ted Lee, co-host of Ovation TV’s Southern Uncovered

“Combos, the Original. Visine, and I have to have a Gatorade. Lemon-Lime. And then the Krystal burger. A sackful.” —Rob Nelson of Tusk & Trotter in Houston