After popular TikTok Food Critic Keith Lee Made Houston Go Viral during his infamous road trip tours.
Many have questioned how mixed martial artist Keith Lee, the well-known TikTok food critic, qualifies as a food critic. With a loyal following of 15.3 million and counting, his viewers glue themselves to his assessment of takeaway orders from Black-owned eateries nationwide.
After ruffling some feathers during his stop in Atlanta, Lee was unimpressed with his experiences, tactfully calling the customer service “interesting” because of the restaurant’s “unique” policies. The long wait times, unfair customer service, and his inability to call in orders were just a snippet of regular occurrences to Atlanta residents, according to discussions on X.
“Every one of these businesses that Keith Lee has posted about do well by being posted on a local Houston influencers page already. It really makes me sad that the topic is how these Black-owned businesses are being supported.”
Chef Vicky V
However, his tour in Houston in late November took a turn for the better. The city showed up and showed out. He visited the Cajun-hibachi restaurant, Stick Talk, Butter Funk Kitchen, the Better Box, and Mezza Grille.
When he visited the breakfast klub, a popular spot in midtown known for its long wait lines, Lee was sold on the quality of the soul food delicacies within the first bite. Those regular wait lines eventually increased.
Pearland dessert shop, the Puddery, experienced the “Keith Lee Effect” in a major way. The once-struggling dessert shop, had lines wrapped around the shop. The impact was so sudden the owner had to temporarily close due to the surge in demand.
While his reviews gave necessary exposure to these businesses, we can’t forget the local Black food critics and influencers who’ve worked hard to promote and push Black restaurants.
Chef Vicky V, or The Queen of Yum, is Houston’s beloved culinary professional and food influencer. She took to Instagram to tell people to stop comparing local influencers to Keith Lee.
“Why does Keith Lee have to come to our city for people to get on board to support these Black-owned businesses?” was a question that she said she had been asked repetitively. She said local influencers had laid the groundwork so that when [people like] Keith Lee comes, the businesses build upon his impact and continue to work in excellence so that the effect doesn’t disappear.
“Every one of these businesses that Keith Lee has posted about do well by being posted on a local Houston influencers page already,” she continued. “It really makes me sad that the topic is how these Black-owned businesses are being supported.”
The moral of the story is that Chef Vicky V said you can support Keith Lee while supporting local food influencers because they all want the best for these businesses.
In the meantime, here are a few local Black food influencers for you to follow:
Chef Vicky V is a powerhouse chef, food stylist, influencer, and Black restaurant liaison whose vibrant personality and engaging content around food have garnered more than 19K followers on Instagram. She curates aesthetically pleasing food media and programs such as Houston Hosts Black Bloggers, showcasing the best of Houston’s Black dining, Black tastemakers, and social media entrepreneurs.
KeAndre Jordan is one of Houston’s most influential Black food connoisseurs, with more than 300K followers on Instagram. He is known to show his mouthwatering dishes from local Black brunch, fine wine and dine, and mom-and-pop- shops.
Meet the duo spicing up Houston’s food scene. Alex and Allison Onyina are the creators of A Couple of Bites. The couple creates exciting date night content around their love of food.
A Houston attorney, Erica Harrison, created Black Girls Who Brunch, highlighting the local food scene beyond franchise restaurants. She provides great recommendations and curates networking opportunities to bring Black professionals together.
If you want to experience the energy that exudes soft and luxury vibes, then you have to follow Lauren, the creator of the Houston-based lifestyle and travel blog Searching High With Lo. She takes her 147K Instagram followers to the coolest hidden gems of the city, and she does this with style.