Lee’s athletic background shapes his perspective on the connection between food and sports performance.
‘Lucky Sandwich’ contains deliberately selected ingredients believed to symbolize luck, prosperity and positive energy.
Lee encourages fans to embrace new culinary experiences, even if they seem unconventional, as they often serve a purpose.
Keith Lee invites fútbol fans to step outside their comfort zones, one “lucky” bite at a time.
Source: Arnold Turner/Getty
Among them FIFA festivities, the social media star and food critic has partnered with Hellmann’s to introduce the Lucky Sandwich with a recipe inspired by game day traditions and ingredients believed to symbolize luck, prosperity and positive energy.
During an exclusive conversation with BOSSIP’s very own Lauryn Bass, Lee opened up about the inspiration behind the collaboration, why food and sports naturally go hand in hand, and the importance of embracing new experiences. (Even when they seem a little unconventional.)
Source: Hellman’s / Hellman’s Lucky Sandwich
Keith Lee says the lucky sandwich was carefully crafted
The sandwich offers an unexpected combination of ingredients, including:
Turkey
Black-eyed peas
Grapes
Bacon
Hellmann’s mayonnaise
All served on a croissant!
While Lee admits the recipe may surprise some people, he says each ingredient serves a purpose.
“All the ingredients are specifically based on luck,” Lee told BOSSIP. “Everybody has a game day tradition or game day ritual, so to bring that together with food, and you know, I love food, it was super dope.”
Lee explained that what stood out most about the partnership was the intentionality behind the creation process.
“Everything in the sandwich was very deliberate,” he said. “There wasn’t just a guilt of, ‘Hey, that’s a lucky ingredient, let’s throw it in there.’ Everything was extremely thought out and planned so that everything makes sense in context.”
When asked about the flavor profile, Lee admitted that the sandwich takes some getting used to.
“It’s different. It’s definitely different,” he said. “You’ve got grapes, you’ve got black eyed peas, you’ve got bacon, it’s a croissant sandwich, so the textures are different. But then you get the balancing flavors that really help each other.”
According to Lee, the grape element comes in the form of a grape salsa, which adds sweetness and texture to the sandwich.
“It’s crispy. It’s delicious in my opinion,” he added. “But I can understand if you try it and you don’t like it because it’s different for everyone. It’s so unique. But I personally love it.”
Food, competition and community
As a former wrestler and professional fighter, Lee says sports have always played a big role in his life.
“I struggled all the way through high school,” he said. “I’ve been fighting since I was in the eighth grade and then I went straight to being a professional fighter at 18.”
The athletic background has shaped the way he views food and performance.
“For me personally, it’s because the sports I’ve always played have been so food-centric,” Lee explained. “Wrestling and fighting, you can’t have one without the other because you have to gain weight.”
He added an analogy that further explains the connection: “Athletes in general, your body is like a car. Whatever you put in is the fuel.”
When discussing game day rituals, Lee shared that while he puts his faith in God ahead of luck itself, he understands why traditions matter to athletes.
“I believe in God, of course. I believe everything comes from Him,” Lee said. “I don’t necessarily think it’s luck, but the lucky aspect of it is that I always had my same lucky socks on before every game. I had ‘lucky’ shoe.”
Looking forward to the WC
With World Cup excitement building across the globe, Lee says he is eager to see the competition unfold, even as a relatively new football fan.
“I’m aware of it all,” he said. “As an athlete, it’s less than a specific team and it’s more just the competition that I’m really excited about.”
The content creator is also gearing up for upcoming trips to Europe, where he plans to go on a food tour, making for a busy summer filled with sports and culinary adventures.
As for what he hopes fans take away from the partnership, Lee says the answer is simple: Have fun and keep an open mind.
“Being open and willing to try new things, even if they seem a little different,” he said. “Everything has a purpose.”
With the Keith Lee stamp, the Lucky Sandwich may become the newest game day tradition for sports fans everywhere.
