Seattle-based restaurant FOB Sushi Bar has shut down "until further notice" days after viewers pointed out a worm in the sushi during a review of the restaurant by popular TikTok food vlogger Keith Lee.
On November 10, Lee posted a video of him trying FOB Sushi Bar, a restaurant based in Seattle, Washington. During that video, one of the pieces of salmon he was tasting appeared to move on its own as he held it in front of the camera, sparking disgust and concern from fans worried that the popular TikToker may have eaten a worm.
Restaurant Initially Claimed Meat Moved Due to Pressure Caused by Chopsticks
FOB Sushi Bar responded to the situation, claiming that the meat may have moved due to the pressure Keith was putting on the chopsticks.
"At FOB Sushi, we are committed to upholding the highest health and safety standards to provide clean, fresh, and safe food for every customer," they said. "Regarding the video, the movement observed in the fish may result from natural elasticity or the pressure of chopsticks when applied to its structure."
Lee Posted a Follow-Up Video Saying Someone Who Visited the Restaurant After Him Landed in the Hospital
After discourse surrounding the alleged worm grew across social media, Keith Lee uploaded a video sharing his thoughts and news that someone who allegedly visited FOB the day after he did was hospitalized after eating their food.
"The only reason I'm making this video is because I just saw a video of somebody who went the day after us, and now they're hospitalized. Just me, my character, and who I am as a person... I'm gonna come out and I'mma say something about it," he said before sending his 'heart and blessings' to the person.
Keith went on to address FOB's initial statement, calling for more accountability from the restaurant in the process.
"If somebody's sitting in the hospital and something is moving in [the] food, I absolutely think there's accountability that should be taken. For the restaurant to post a statement indicating that me holding the chopsticks a certain why is why the sushi moved, I personally don't agree with it," he said.
"I've had sushi a thousand times, and I've held sushi a thousand different ways, and never once have I seen sushi behaving that way. 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 was literally just eating as a customer. As a customer, I shouldn't be the one getting blamed if it was something moving."
Keith went on to reiterate that he's aware of the dangers of eating sushi and other raw foods – and that he's feeling okay since the review took place.
FOS Sushi Bar Confirms Closure of Two Locations
Shortly after Keith posted his video on his account, FOB Sushi Bar revealed on Instagram that they were closing down two of their locations in response to "recent food safety concerns."
"In response to recent food safety concerns, we have decided to close our FOB Sushi locations in Seattle and Bellevue until further notice. 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," they said.
"To our community, we are deeply grateful for your years of support and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. We remain dedicated to providing you with the highest quality sushi."
