Rantz: Alleged sushi worm sets off Keith Lee TikTok controversy at Seattle restaurant

When wildly popular TikTok food critic Keith Lee praised FOB Sushi, it instantly delivered a boost in business. But then, eagle-eyed viewers noticed the sushi Lee ate was moving due to a “worm.” Now, the business is closing its restaurants “until further notice.”

In his video review, Lee showed a Hamachi sushi roll that he raved about. He gave it an 8.5 out of 10. At the time, a manager of FOB Sushi, which has restaurants in Seattle and Bellevue, told KIRO 7 that “after he came, we are getting busier.” They benefited from the so-called “Keith Lee effect.”

But soon, they found themselves in the middle of a sushi worm controversy.

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Is there a worm in the sushi in the Keith Lee TikTok review?

Keith Lee fans noticed the FOB Sushi yellowtail was moving. Some viewers played the video in slow-motion, saying it appears to show a “worm” peer out from the sashimi right before Lee eats it. That claim led FOB Sushi to put out a statement calling the sushi worm claims “false” and that 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,” the statement reads. “Rumors like this can harm small businesses, so we’re addressing it head-on. Thank you for trusting us and supporting FOB Sushi.”

The statement also noted that Lee’s pressure on the chopsticks he used could also cause the sashimi to move the way it did.

Keith Lee Responds to Seattle’s FoB Sushi Controversy Over Parasite Worms in Sushi 🍣🪱 pic.twitter.com/4fD5shn86N

— SEATTLESUBMISSIONS (@SEATTLESUBMISS) November 18, 2024

Keith Lee takes issue with FOB Sushi’s statement

Keith Lee posted a follow-up video responding to the controversy. He said he didn’t notice anything wrong with the sashimi until viewers pointed it out. But he also said there was a video posted by someone who said they were hospitalized after eating at FOB Sushi.

“I don’t believe in tearing down any business, but at the same time, people’s health is on the line. So if somebody’s saying they’re in the hospital, and there’s something moving in food, I absolutely think there’s accountability that should be taken and it’s something that you can learn from it,” Lee said.

But Lee also took issue with feeling blamed by the restaurant for the “sushi worm” controversy.

“For the restaurant to post a statement to indicate that me holding a sushi or me holding a chopsticks a certain way is why the sushi moved …” Lee said, “I personally don’t agree with it because I’ve had sushi 1,000 times, and I’ve held sushi 1,000 different ways, and never once have I seen sushi behaving that way. Again, that’s not me saying it was a worm or it was a parasite. I’m just saying it was nothing that I did on my end. I literally was just eating as a customer, and as a customer, I shouldn’t be the one getting blamed for if it was something moving in the food.”

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FOB Sushi implies there was something wrong with the sushi

In response, FOB Sushi released another statement explaining that “in response to recent food safety concerns, we have decided to close our FOB Sushi locations in Seattle and Bellevue until further notice.”

The statement also implied that perhaps something was wrong with the sushi, though it doesn’t say so explicitly.

“Your health and safety are our highest priorities. We are conducting a thorough investigation to address the situation and will take all necessary measures to prevent it from happening again,” the statement said.

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