Famous American food critic Keith Lee is coming to Toronto and is looking to give a free review to some of the city’s best independent eateries.
Lee, who originally is from Detroit but is now based in Las Vegas, is expected to visit the Big Smoke with his family in the near future as part of his inaugural international “FamiLee” Food Tour.
Lee’s upcoming stop in Toronto will be the first time he’s giving restaurant reviews outside of the United States.
The exact date when he’ll be in the city has not been announced at this point, but it’s safe to say soon.
In an April 2 video posted on TikTok and Instagram, Lee said that he’s had a “change of plans,” noting that due to “business reasons” his current stop in Atlanta, Georgia has been “pushed back.”
“With that being said, the next stop on our FamiLee Food Tour is Toronto, Canada. Here we come!,” he said.
The married father of two went on to say that he’ll only be in Atlanta for a few more days and as a bit of a parting gift he’s rented a few food trucks and would be handing out free eats on Wednesday. Hundreds of people turned out to partake in that giveaway.
Wearing a warm beige-coloured toque and a grey hoodie in the video, Lee went on to say that he’s “already packed for Canada” and asked people from Toronto who have or know someone who has a “mom-and-pop shop that has great food, great customer service, but may need the marketing” to get in touch with him for an “absolutely free” review.
He’s inviting people to DM him or tag him in a video on social media, or send him an email.
The celebrity food critic noted that he’s looking for Toronto eatery recommendations that fall within three categories: “mom-and-pop shops,” “restaurants that embody the food scene according to the people in Toronto,” and “restaurants from different backgrounds and different cultures.”
“Toronto, we’ll see you soon,” he said.
With 2 million followers on Instagram and another 16 million on TikTok, a positive review of a restaurant’s food and hospitality from Lee can turn a business completely around, often times causing kitchen chaos and long line ups. The phenomenon is known as the “Keith Lee Effect.”
For his reviews, Lee tries to remain anonymous and avoids any special treatment. He is also known to send family members to pick up take out food.