Former MMA fighter Keith Lee, now a renowned food critic with 14.5 million TikTok followers, is making waves in Houston’s culinary scene.
The 27-year-old’s unbiased reviews and candid takes have recently brought attention to Black-owned businesses, creating opportunities and eye-opening experiences for small businesses who try to keep up with the demands after a positive review.
He rarely dines in person and chooses to critique takeout spots that don’t get enough mainstream media coverage, spots that regular, everyday folk eat at, rather than those upper-end, “boozhie” eateries where celebrities and notable food critics regularly frequent. The Black-owned restaurants Lee likes to check out tend to be established by chefs and cooks with incredible culinary skills but who run restaurants badly in need of marketing and promotional support.
The Keith Lee Effect
The Keith Lee road tour hit major cities like Los Angeles, Detroit, and Chicago, but it wasn’t until he went to Atlanta that things took an exciting turn. He documented his experiences at The Real Milk & Honey. The brunch spot offered to let him cut the seating line because of his popularity. Old Lady Gang, owned by singer and Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member Kandi Burruss, was criticized for the confusing ordering systems, long wait times, and excessive surcharges that sparked a heated debate on Atlanta’s food culture. Burruss thanked him for his visit. She explained in more detail on the Tamron Hall Show that running a business is difficult, dealing with “high turnover with staff,” and dealing with “reviews” that could be detrimental to the business.
On the other hand, the owner of The Real Milk and Honey gave a shady response in a since-deleted tweet: “Who’s Keith Lee?” followed by an official press release with an apology to Lee.
To answer that question, he is doing “The Lord’s work,” according to many of his growing social media fan base. In good old Keith Lee fashion, he reminds his audience of his refusal of star treatment from restaurants and condemns fans who make threats toward business owners due to negative reviews.
“If you would like to have your own personal experience at any of these restaurants, I encourage you to go,” he said in response to his Atlanta experience.
After he announced his visit to Houston, restaurant owners geared up for his arrival, and let’s just say he is having a ball. He’s visited popular Cajun Hibachi restaurant Stick Talk, Butter Funk Kitchen Houston, the breakfast klub, and the Puddery.
Aaron Johnson, owner of Butter Funk Kitchen, grappled with the surge in demand post-review. In an interview with KHOU, he said before Keith Lee, they “were doing about 15 to 20 cases of catfish a week,” but now they’re 10 [in a day].
The breakfast klub, a Houston staple, have long wait lines on a typical week. But after they received a 9.8/10 from Lee, loyal customers jokingly said that they might have to wait in those lines for a long time.
For Janel Prator, owner of the Puddery, a dessert shop in Pearland, it became a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when Lee paid her a surprise visit and tipped her $2,000 after learning about her slow business. The review led to an overwhelming customer surge, temporarily limiting the shop’s menu.
Houston is glued to see where Lee will go next, but this also becomes a learning experience for small business owners. If you happened to get “Keith Lee approved,” can the owners meet the increased demands without risking a strain on their operation and customer satisfaction? There is no doubt that the exposure opens doors, but can the visibility maintain the stability necessary for these small Black establishments to thrive?
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