Keith Lee Reveals Next Career Move After Going Viral for His Restaurant Reviews
Keith Lee Reveals Next Career Move After Going Viral for His Restaurant Reviews
Luke ChinmanWed, March 4, 2026 at 8:37 PM UTC
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Keith LeeCredit: Arnold Turner/Getty -
Keith Lee is investing in Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, an Asian-inspired fast casual food brand
"Partnering with Brooklyn Dumpling Shop is about more than just great food, it's about community, culture, and creating experiences people can enjoy and trust,” the viral content creator said in a press release
Lee sat down with PEOPLE for an interview in 2025, reflecting on his rise from being an MMA fighter to one of social media’s most trusted voices regarding food
Keith Lee is moving up!
On Tuesday, March 3, it was announced that the viral TikTok star — known by over 17 million on the platform for his food reviews — had joined Brooklyn Dumpling Shop as a brand investor, per a press release obtained by PEOPLE.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop is an Asian-inspired fast casual food brand with 22 brick-and-morter locations across North America — known in particular for its dumplings, which it has started selling frozen in retail stores.
"I've always believed that food brings people together, and that's what stood out to me about Brooklyn Dumpling Shop,” said Lee in the release. “It's creative, it's accessible, and it doesn't cut corners on flavor.”
Continued the internet star: "Partnering with Brooklyn Dumpling Shop is about more than just great food, it's about community, culture, and creating experiences people can enjoy and trust. I'm excited to be part of what they're building and to help introduce even more people to something special."
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Keith LeeCredit: Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty
To celebrate the new partnership, Lee will make an appearance at Brooklyn Dumpling Shop’s Dallas location on March 6 — and the first 100 guests in line will receive complimentary merch from the brand, per the release. Brooklyn Dumpling Shop will also be a featured vendor at Lee's one-day food festival, FamiLee Day, on May 16 at UNO Lakefront in New Orleans.
In November — less than a month before he took home the trophy for creator of the year at the inaugural U.S. TikTok Awards — Lee sat down with PEOPLE for a wide-ranging interview about his rise from being an MMA fighter to one of social media’s most trusted voices regarding food.
Keith LeeCredit: Robin L Marshall/Getty
“It’s surreal,” he admitted, adding that he tries to focus on reaching and helping as many people as possible rather than fixating on the fame. “It’s one of those things that I don’t necessarily think about until it happens. If you walk on a path that you feel like you’re supposed to walk on, and you do what you feel like you’re supposed to do, everything will happen the way it’s supposed to.”
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The powerhouse content creator is known by his audience for his soft-spoken delivery, subtle hand gestures and massive influence on local eateries around the country — though he told PEOPLE he is still genuinely surprised that millions of people follow him for restaurant recommendations.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
