Who Is Keith Lee? What To Know About The Popular TikTok Food Critic

Family Is His Number One Priority

Besides being married to the food scene, Keith Lee is also committed to his family. He and his wife, Ronnie Lee, have been together since college and tied the knot in 2020. The couple share two children, Karter and Riley. Keith began filming his TikToks when his wife was pregnant with their first child. At the time, he would make videos of his wife’s cravings. He has often shared his runs to the grocery store and restaurants. His devotion to his wife's food cravings eventually led to an incredible career as a food critic.

He’s A Trained Fighter

Keith Lee and his brother have been professional fighters since the TikToker was 18. During his senior year of high school, Lee and his family moved to Las Vegas to pursue his fighting career. Lee opened up to Today during an interview, saying, “They [his parents] came to me and was like, ‘We leave for Vegas tomorrow.’ And I was like, alright, so we packed our stuff and left.”

He and his brother continued to fight professionally in Vegas until the pandemic hit in 2020. Before then, Lee quickly rose the ladder in the fighting scene and made a name for himself. He told Today, “I made it to Bellator, one of the biggest fighting promotions. I had two fights before the pandemic started.”

Keith Lee Is From Detroit

Although Lee now makes a living traveling to different cities and tasting different foods, there was once a time when he didn’t leave his hometown. The food critic was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and told Today he hadn’t been anywhere besides Virginia as a child. He told the outlet, “I grew up in inner-city Detriot. I’d never even traveled outside of Detroit other than once to Virginia.”

"God Is Amazing"

@keith_lee125 💕 Testimony 💕 God Is Amazing 🙏🏽 #foodcritic♬ Long Journey - Rod Wave

Besides giving his honest opinion about restaurants, Keith Lee isn’t shy about his faith. He regularly praises God in his TikTok videos, and so does his family. Lee can almost always be heard saying phrases like "God is amazing," "God is good,” or “God is the greatest” when talking about his restaurant experiences or run-ins with fans. Recently, he shared a testimony video showing the incredible moments he’s been able to experience with his family since the takeoff of his social media career. Lee captioned the video, “God is amazing!” He sure is!

“The Keith Lee Effect”

Imagine having a strong online presence to the point you have your own slogan. This is the reality for Lee, whose presence is now known as “The Keith Lee effect.” His “cult-like” following began to give him the slogan after noticing his reviews' strong impact on local businesses. This can be seen in real-time when he reviews under-the-radar restaurants or mom-and-pop food spots and a good review results in those restaurants booming in popularity and business not too soon after he shares his experience with his audience.

Recently, Lee caused an all-out war online after he visited Atlanta and chronicled his experience. For example, when he visited Real Milk and Honey, he said that his family was told they were closed for a deep cleaning, but when he walked in, they recognized him and tried to serve him. He and his family decided to leave. Things took a turn for the worse when the restaurant owner put out a TikTok video seemingly taking a dig at Lee by claiming he didn't know him. While the restaurant has since apologized, the damage was already done. Videos surfaced on TikTok of the once-busy restaurant being empty. The Keith Lee effect is nothing to be played with.

His Love For Sneakers Is Unmatched

@keith_lee125 Sneaker Wall Makeover Day 1 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #sneakerkeith#foodcritic♬ original sound - Keith Lee

Everyone has a vice, and for Keith Lee, it’s sneakers. He hasn’t been shy about openly expressing his love for sneakers, recently showing his sneaker collection on TikTok to his supporters. The massive shoe collection was apparent in the video while Lee expressed a new milestone. Telling his audience, “It’s been two weeks since I’ve bought a pair of sneakers.” He then shared that he is in the middle of a sneaker closet makeover! We love to see it!

From Door-Dasher To Partnering With DoorDash

@keith_lee125 Thank you to all the Dashers for doing what you do #doordashpartner @DoorDash #foodcritic♬ original sound - Keith Lee

Before the “Keith Lee Effect,” a young Keith Lee was pursuing his dream of becoming a professional fighter. Working as a Door Dasher in between his fighting training, Lee used the money he made to provide him with gas and lunch to keep going. Fast forward a few years later, his hard work finally paid off in a way he didn’t expect, with a DoorDash partnership. Lee openly shared his DoorDash days in a video posted to social media.

A Faithful Man With A Hint Of Fear

It takes a fearless person to live life loudly on the internet. However, Keith Lee’s biggest fear isn’t the internet - it’s the ocean. An intense video was shared of Lee attempting to face his challenge of entering the ocean. Lee, known for his calming spirit, can be seen screaming while trying to go in. Friends are alongside Lee, encouraging him to dive in. One of his friends can be seen going into the ocean to provide Lee with comfort.

Lee hilariously goes into the ocean while accidentally flipping his boat and friend into the water. Thankfully, the two were able to make it back into the boat safe and sound.

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