Keith Lee Calls His Rise ‘Surreal’ as He Preps for a Meaningful Holiday Season (Exclusive)

Keith Lee’s rise from MMA fighter to one of the internet’s most trusted food voices has always felt a little magical — at least to him. 

The fan-favorite content creator, known for his soft-spoken delivery, subtle hand gestures and powerhouse influence on mom-and-pop eateries nationwide, still seems genuinely surprised that millions of people follow him for restaurant recommendations. 

“It’s surreal,” he admits during an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, adding that he doesn’t focus on the fanfare, opting to stay the course and focus on reaching and helping as many people as possible. “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.”

That steady sense of purpose — and his belief that food connects people — runs through everything he does. It’s why small businesses remain the heart of his TikTok (followed by 17.3 million accounts) and why he’s now lending his voice to one of the biggest community-focused efforts of the season. 

Lee’s partnership with American Express for Small Business Saturday, on Nov. 29, this year, aligns perfectly with this mindset. The campaign, designed to transform a single shopping day into a year-round movement of community and connection, emphasizes family, legacy, and supporting small businesses — lessons Lee hopes to pass on to his children. “It’s a reminder that it’s families behind the business,” says Lee. “I think a small business to me - it’s never just a business. It's a passionate love.”

In a TikTok shared on Monday, Nov. 24, Lee visited a few of the Texas businesses that will be participating in Small Business Saturday. One of his recent visits to Drew’s Place Soul Food in Fort Worth, Texas. reminded him exactly why he never strays far from that mission. 

Lee, who moved to Dallas last year, says he’s slowly discovering the city through its food. But Drew’s Place stood apart. The family-run restaurant was a previous Amex grant recipient, and this year, the owners used part of that funding to create a large-scale community mural that reflects the history and culture of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Inside, Lee was surrounded by portraits dating back to the 1920s — snapshots of the family’s lineage and legacy. 

“I think that was one that really touched me because when we sat out in his restaurant, he had family portraits everywhere. It was family portraits that went back to the 1920s, and it was like his granddaddy's granddaddy,” he recalls. “That is a reminder that not only do we have such a rich history here, but when people are able to not only stay where they're from, but pour into the communities that they're from.”

This season, those themes of family and home carry a deeper weight for Lee personally. After eight years away, his younger brother is spending Thanksgiving with the family for the first time since being released from prison — a moment Lee has been anticipating all year. “He was my best friend growing up,” he shares. “Now to have a piece of us that I felt like was missing, I think it’s going to be extremely important.” His brother wasted no time making his first request: Wingstop.

Thanksgiving in the Lee household is famously potluck-style, and Keith has earned the same coveted assignments every year. “I get the mac-and-cheese, and I get the greens,” he says proudly. “So that'll let you know who throws down when it’s time to throw down.” What his brother plans to cook remains a mystery — “we're going to find out together” — but Lee is certain it’ll be memorable and make an appearance on his TikTok. 

As for his wife, Ronnie, who recently gave birth to their third child, Kardigan Marcus, on September 24, she won’t be in the kitchen this year, he adds with a laugh: “She’s making milk for the baby… that’s what she's bringing to the table.”

The family is keeping Thanksgiving intimate this year, saving the bigger celebration for Christmas, when relatives from Illinois and California fly in. But even with the smaller guest list, there are two things Lee is most excited for: time with his son and turkey. “You only eat turkey once a year,” he says. “I don’t even eat it when it’s not Thanksgiving.”

Beyond the holidays, Lee hints at a packed horizon. For the first time since his social media whirlwind began, he and his family are stepping further into the frame. They’re actively building new projects for early 2026 — ones he says they’ve dreamed about for years. “Everybody can come and be a part of it,” he teases.

As for the long-speculated idea of a Keith Lee cooking show? He has considered it, but only through his own lens. The spotlight, he insists, should stay on the real heroes: small businesses and the families behind them. “I don’t like all the cameras on me,” he says. If a show happens, “hint, hint,” it will center communities and the people who give local food its soul.