Keith Lee has catapulted unknown restaurants to fame and changed lives with his food reviews on TikTok — his influence has become so powerful it’s deemed the “Keith Lee effect.”
In a mere three years as a restaurant reviewer, the former MMA fighter has amassed more than 17 million followers on social media, who swarm around any place he reviews. But it’s not just restaurants his fans are also swarming — they’re equally rabid about the 27-year-old, and Lee revealed the incident that finally made him hire security.
While most fans ask for a photo or maybe a restaurant recommendation, some have an extreme reaction when seeing their favorite viral food critic in the flesh. The tipping point came when the Las Vegas resident was visiting New Orleans, Louisiana, and crazed fans descended on his car.
It was an eye-opening moment for Lee, who had always traveled with just family and close friends.
“Before I could think, the car was surrounded,” he told Rolling Stone. “People are stopping at green lights and jumping out of the car in the middle of traffic and running up to us to take pictures and crying and screaming.”
The former featherweight has been open about his struggles with anxiety in the past, so it’s understandable he would beef up security.
“I am not a person who likes conflict. I got the biggest security that you could possibly have. God is always watching over me,” he said, adding that he’s ready to throw down if need be.
“My hands are registered, too. I’ll beat the hell out of somebody if I have to.”
Not too long ago, Lee was a mixed martial arts fighter nicknamed “Killa,” with an 8-5 record across 13 fights. Outside of the fighting cage, Lee’s social anxiety made it difficult to do interviews, therefore he turned to social media as a way to become more comfortable in front of the camera, and the rest is history.
“I was so nervous. I was sweaty. It would mess up my entire day just to hear that I had to do an interview,” Lee revealed. “You can’t be a super-successful professional fighter and not be good on the mic. So, I took it upon myself to start doing TikTok. I just set up the camera, and I started recording myself and pretended that it was 1,000 people watching me and I would use that as an outlet to get better in front of the camera,” he said.
Now the viral critic speaks to millions online, and he’s bound to ruffle some feathers. Lee’s most recent food tour already garnered controversy after he posted a negative review of a Michigan restaurant and gagged over a bite of food.
This came after his now-infamous visit to Atlanta, where he criticized a few restaurants and sparked a city-wide debate — and threats against his family. Earlier this year, he announced a 2024 “Redemption” tour that would bring him back to Atlanta, but this time with a slightly larger entourage.
@keith_lee125 Familee Redemption Food Tour Talk 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic
♬ original sound – Keith Lee
“We come in peace. With that being said, we will be protected. It’s people with us who are legal and licensed,” Lee said about the tour, which is now postponed. “We don’t want to have to use them, but we will. My family is going home safe, and I mean it with every bone in my body.”
With power comes great responsibility and, apparently, a few bodyguards.
