Keith Lee’s Visit To Seattle Sushi Restaurant Sparks Discourse After Alleged Worm Spotting, Location Temporarily Closes - Black Promoters Collective (BPC)
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Keith Lee’s Visit To Seattle Sushi Restaurant Sparks Discourse After Alleged Worm Spotting, Location Temporarily Closes

November 19, 2024
Home > News > Keith Lee’s Visit To Seattle Sushi Restaurant Sparks Discourse After Alleged Worm Spotting, Location Temporarily Closes

A Seattle restaurant has closed temporarily after a video from Keith Lee sparked rumors about worms at the establishment. Lee, who has amassed over 16 million TikTok followers, recently visited Seattle’s FOB Sushi and tried 10 sushi rolls. As he reviewed the food, some of Lee’s viewers said they saw something that looked like a worm in the yellowtail fish, according to King5.

@keith_lee125 Fob Sushi taste test 💕 would you try it 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee

After the video, which has been seen over 12 million times, went viral and the rumors circulated online, FOB Sushi Bar released a statement defending itself against the allegations.

“We want to address this claim directly and assure you that it is entirely false,” the business posted on its Instagram page on Friday. “At FOB Sushi, we are committed to upholding the highest health and safety standards to provide clean, fresh, and safe food for every customer.”

The restaurant said its food comes from trusted sources and they “follow strict FDA and HACCP standards to ensure the highest quality and safety in every dish.”

“The movement in the video is due to natural elasticity in the fish—not worms,” FOB Sushi Bar’s statement continued. “Rumors like this can harm small businesses, so we’re addressing it head-on. Thank you for trusting us and supporting FOB Sushi.”

Previously, Vincent Chen, who owns the restaurant, credited Lee’s visit for boosting his sales.

“I think this is called the ‘Keith Lee Effect,’” he said. “People are just like coming in from everywhere. … I saw that somebody is like driving an hour drive to try us out.”

According to King 5, the Washington State Department of Health released a report on FOB Sushi Bar in January 2024, concluding that the restaurant didn’t have any health violations with a satisfactory rating. Unfortunately, though, the restaurant has closed its two locations until further notice, KIRO7 reported. Lee has not yet addressed the video controversy.