Keenan
Out of the many people I’ve met during my eight years at Bape, Keenan Christian Lam is on the top 10 list of the most genuine and humble individuals I’ve had the pleasure of becoming friends with.
The 27-year-old businessman and I were introduced to each other by our mutual friend Zachary Littman who frequently visited me at Nigo’s former NYC workshop. I established a great rapport with Zach so when he brought Keenan to my “second floor lair” we instantly clicked. Lam and I hardly kicked it outside of my old workplace, but kept in touch through social media. One major nugget I dug from my observation of him on Instagram was his undeniable love for food!
A few months ago at my new gig, a familiar voice called out my name while I was monitoring the TSA line. I turned around, and to my pleasant surprise saw that it was the Colgate smiling epicure himself! Fortunately, foot traffic was minimal so we were able to talk for a few minutes and even caught a quick flick together. Prior to our impromptu reunion I haven’t seen Keenan in four years.
Aside from acknowledging Lam’s exquisite taste in food, I didn’t know anything else about him. I was more than sure though that his backstory would be intriguing. I decided to hit him up and inquired about his participation in my #FrendyOriginals interview series. We didn’t have a chance to fully catch up when I saw him at JFK airport so this is the perfect chance to properly gain insight about his past.
Without further ado, indulge in my phenomenal sitdown with Keenan below as we discussed his upbringing, knack for cooking, maneuvers in the restaurant industry and involvement with KITH.
FRENDY: How are you, Keenan? Man, we have come a long way since we first met nearly eight years ago.
KEENAN: Frendy! Really good to hear from you, thanks for reaching out. Glad to hear you’re doing well. Just maintaining, you know? The world is in a crazy place right now.
FRENDY: The pleasure is all mine! Yeah, for sure—it’s nothing like we’ve ever seen on earth. I truly believe everything happens for the highest good though. This “downtime” allows us to really cherish life and appreciate our loved ones so much deeper.
KEENAN: I couldn’t agree more. We all need a good reset on life every now and then. We’re in the middle of two pandemics and I also agree everything happens for a reason. I’m speechless to a degree, but also confident that we’ll move forward as humans for the better.
FRENDY: That’s a fact! We originally planned to start our conversation yesterday, but you were caught up with work. It’s good that you’re still shaking and moving during this time! If you don’t mind me asking, what was going down?
KEENAN: Apologies about that—yeah, some things came up. I had to bring my pops to see a doctor in the city (all’s well, just a check up. Not Covid-19 related). Work wise, getting a jump on opening our KITH SoHo shop. The facade with the Nelson Mandela quote was beginning to be taken down in preparation for opening.
FRENDY: I’m glad to hear your dad is all good. And man, you don’t know how proud I am of you and your movements with KITH. We’ll definitely get to all of that a little later on. I don’t think I ever asked but where are you from? I know Zach introduced us at Bape while you guys attended school in the city.
KEENAN: Appreciate that man, regarding my pops and myself. I’m just trying to make moves with my head down. I’m originally from New York, born and raised. I grew up in Manhattan till I was three, then moved to Long Island and attended CUNY John Jay (shouts CUNY!). Moved to the city for school and that’s where I met Zach. Our dorm was split between a few schools. He went to LIM. We actually didn’t meet in the dorm but on a club line *Laughs*.
FRENDY: That’s hilarious *Laughs*. So wait, you guys didn’t even go to the same school? Wow, it felt like you guys knew each other for a while because the comradery was so strong. By the way, which club were y’all going to?
KEENAN: *Laughs* Nah, we didn’t know each other. Couldn’t remember [which club] for the life of me *Laughs*, but I’m sure it was some college-promoted wack one. Man, we always talk about coincidence. Zach and I had a bunch of mutual friends prior to meeting. We noticed each other when we got back to the same dorm. I don’t really remember having any dialogue with him until one day we were in the study room and I saw his “WHAT WOULD HOVA DO?” sticker on his laptop. That’s when I said what's up.
FRENDY: It’s a beautiful thing when the culture (I really don’t like saying that word) brings people together. What year did you guys initially meet?
KEENAN: Agreed—any fan of HOV is a friend of mine! We met in the fall of 2011.
FRENDY: Zach is such an awesome guy so when he introduced you to me it was no surprise that we got along so well. I think we met in 2012...I’m not sure.
KEENAN: Yeah. Our semester started in the Fall of 2011, so we probably didn’t start hanging out for real until the following year. 2012 sounds right.
Zach really was the best person/friend for me to meet in college. He was super passionate about the culture—about the energy that was coming out of SoHo. He literally dragged me around *Laughs*. Without him I for sure would not have been acclimated to Manhattan the way I did.
FRENDY: We all need a ‘Zach’ in our lives. Are you guys still in touch?
KEENAN: That is a big fact. A homie that really takes time to understand you, appreciates your passion as well. Though he’s more technically versed in fashion and I with food, we always exchange our thoughts and teach each other the nuances of each world. We speak all the time. I’ve been smoking his ass in Call of Duty! *Laughs*. Just kidding, that kid is a gaming beast. I’m still a super novice.
FRENDY: *Laughs* It’s all good, I was a big gamer myself (mostly played sports games though). I’m sure you’ll smoke me in COD. When you moved to Long Island at the age of three, you hardly came back to roam the city during your adolescent years?
KEENAN: I was returning frequently, mostly on weekends for Chinese school and seeing my family for Dim Sum (Cantonese style Brunch) almost every weekend until high school. My family’s restaurant is located in Chinatown so I only really hung out there.
FRENDY: Damn, you’ve been eating good all your life! Oh ok, I understand. I’m guessing you really never had the time to personally check out NYC hotspots since you were always in and out.
KEENAN: I have a love/hate relationship when people say “eating good” *Laughs*. It inherently means that someone is eating better than you—but I believe everyone should be able to eat well! (figuratively and literally) Everyone should have the skill to cook up and create.
Yeah, my parents were really my only means to get in and out of the city so I never ventured outside of Chinatown as a kid. Saturday mornings meant waking up early, hit Chinatown for class, Dim Sum right after and then back to Long Island. This went on until I was about 13-14.
FRENDY: You made a great point! Everyone should be able to eat well. Nice, I’m hardly in Long Island—how was it like growing up there? Had a lot of friends?
KEENAN: Yeah, man. I’m a firm believer that wholesome great food should be accessible to everyone. When I started to work in the industry I realized how simple good food should really be.
Long Island was the goal for my immigrant parents. They came to this country at a young age and were raised in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens and wanted better for their children. I feel super blessed to have had the comfort of living in the suburbs. It was my “norm” but as I grew up, I started to recognize the disparity of living there and the rest of the world. I grew up with mostly White and Persian Jewish kids. I was one of maybe 10 Asian kids in my elementary school. I Have a small circle of friends that I still talk to. One thing’s for sure, I learned A LOT about the Jewish culture. Somewhat learned to appreciate it on a high level though I was not a member of the society.
FRENDY: My parents and I are immigrants as well so I know exactly what you’re talking about. We came to this country for much greater opportunities. It’s amazing how your parents built such a strong foundation for you and your siblings from scratch! I know you had a few Asian kids at your elementary school, but did you ever feel like the odd man out around your peers?
KEENAN: Absolutely—I consumed a lot of Western culture growing up so I really wanted to fit in but I never could because of: 1. Not being White 2. I wasn’t religious. So I couldn’t fit in with White Christian/Catholics kids either. There’s a deeper sense of guilt and lack of belonging when you’re born into something you can’t change. I.e; if you suck at basketball and didn’t make it on the Varsity team, that is something you can work on, you know? You can drive yourself to be better. But I’m sure you know just as well. I couldn’t change the fact that I wasn’t White or religious. I didn’t belong in this community that was so heavily run by which church, temple or synagogue you went to. I also wasn’t close to many of the Asian kids either because a good amount of them were immigrants themselves too so we didn’t have much to connect on. I must admit that I am guilty of not trying to pull the others up with me. My parents knew how to speak English. A lot of theirs did not.
FRENDY: I totally understand. Don’t feel guilty—you were young trying to figure things out *Laughs*. Which high school did you go to?
KEENAN: Yeah, bro. Adolescence—confusing times right? *Laughs*. I Went to Great Neck North High School.
FRENDY: Very! A lot of the people that knew me back then can’t even fathom how much I’ve grown. I was a super shy kid...plus I only knew how to speak French. How was your experience at Great Neck North High? Did you feel more at ease in your surroundings?
KEENAN: I do remember reading about your upbringing. Never underestimate the potential of people who have less resources than you. If there is a will, there is a way! They don’t know about Frendy’s acting career!
I was def more at ease as I grew up. Everyone’s just basically fucking around in high school so your immediate social circle was all everyone cared about.
FRENDY: Thank you, my brother. Let’s fast forward a bit. So I’ve been glued to your Instagram stories and posts showcasing the incredible food you cook up. It gets my mouth drooling every...single…time. When did your love for whipping up delicious meals come about? Was it during your HS years or later on?
KEENAN: *Laughs* I’m glad, man! I’ve always been around food via my parents. I learned to value food as a means to make ends meet since my father was in the industry. Better food meant better business. Of course my grandparents were always cooking up so I was able to get my hands dirty and build technique. I truly was always trying to cook since I could remember.
FRENDY: That’s absolutely incredible. Do you remember the very first dish you ever cooked?
KEENAN: *Laughs* I think the first thing I was proud of was this curry chicken salad wrap I made as a kid *Laughs*. Shouts Costco rotisserie chicken yo!
FRENDY: Jheez! I could use some of that right now. You stated earlier that you attended John Jay college, and from what I remember it’s a criminal justice school. Why didn’t you attend a culinary institution instead?
KEENAN: To be straight up, I didn’t have great grades. I wanted to attend CUNY Baruch, but I went to John Jay first for 2 years then transferred. I always wanted to attend culinary school, but the cost of it was pretty jarring. I figured I would just watch a ton of YouTube [cooking videos] and practice at home. I worked throughout college in the restaurant scene so I considered my jobs to be my technical training. And hey, I was getting paid for it too! *Laughs*
FRENDY: When there’s a will, there’s a way *Laughs*. That’s crazy, I can’t imagine you without having great grades. You’re such an impeccable “mover” in my eyes. It goes to show, just because you excel in class doesn’t mean you can thrive in the school of hard knocks. When did you begin your foray in the restaurant industry?
KEENAN: I appreciate that—I’m far from where I want to be. I’m just trying to continue navigating the industry. I was fortunate enough to work in my dad's restaurant beginning at 13. I bussed tables and learned to do some bookkeeping on the back end. From there, my first job out of the family business was at Hakkasan NYC between 2012 - 2015. I really cut my teeth there.
FRENDY: Hakkasan NYC is top notch. How was the interview process to get in there? Did you have to showcase your cooking skills?
KEENAN: It was interesting. They needed someone who could speak both Cantonese and English, but most importantly, understood the food. I was applying for a kitchen expeditor position so I was expected to liaise between the Chinese speaking kitchen and English speaking staff. I didn’t have to show any technical skill, just good understanding of kitchen operations.
FRENDY: Wow, shout out to your parents for enrolling you in Chinese school at a young age. I'm telling you, success is honestly designed. We all need a BIG vision in order to really live life to the fullest. So, from 2012-2015 you were working at Hakkasan. Was school even on your mind during that time?
KEENAN: I’ll be honest, I am super grateful to be bilingual. I'm not completely fluent, but it's enough to get me by. Anything is possible. My father drilled me as a kid, constantly telling us how he came from nothing. Picking up pennies on Madison St in the Lower East Side/Chinatown as a nine-year-old kid from China, not knowing a lick of English…knowledge is power. I never wanted to do that you know? I knew I couldn't fall back on the family business. I knew it was there, but it’s an artificial net. That's why I was gunning to transfer to Baruch where I wanted to attend business school.
FRENDY: Respect for not taking the “safe” route. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with going into the family business. However, you wanted to stand on your own two.
KEENAN: Yeah, I definitely wanted to have a sense of pride in my craft.
FRENDY: Why’d you leave Hakkasan in 2015? I’m sure you had a great run!
KEENAN: It was a great run. For the first two years, we earned a one Michelin star rating. We were at the peak of our game, but then the brand pivoted towards nightclubs and hotels. I felt the passion wasn't there anymore with the team. We didn't earn any stars after year three. I also wanted to graduate from the environment. I still love the brand though—I think they're the best in class for elevated Cantonese dining in NYC.
FRENDY: I love your integrity. What did you end up doing after leaving? With Hakkasan on your resume, was it super easy to get another fine dining gig?
KEENAN: I left Hakkasan to help my father out for a little bit, then I was fortunate enough to land a management position with French boulangerie, Maison Kayser, in 2015. I wanted to learn a different cuisine. My good friend and colleague Dennis Apreza that worked at Hakkasan moved there and put me on. From there, I learned how to operate in a French run company. I Learned a ton about the culture! I was there for eight months, then got the call from RF!
FRENDY: The power of allies, man. Incredible. How did Ronnie get to know about all of the moves you were making in the restaurant scene? Did you send your resume out to him first?
KEENAN: Yeah, man. I really believe in the principal of keeping your circle tight—it’s important to put your people on. I believe in Karma too. This really has stayed true with me even now at Kith. Our brand name derives from “KITH and KIN” which is old English for “Friends and Family”. As well as the #JustUS slogan. Ronnie actually had someone internally reach out to me, I was recruited. I believe in fate somewhat…I wasn’t told by the recruiter who the client was. I actually never answer those emails. I just leave them in my inbox as a gauge to see what my potential is. But for some weird reason I was compelled to answer this one. I think I was sick of waking up at 4am to open the bakery *Laughs*.
FRENDY: That’s right out of a movie! Again, nothing is a coincidence. There is a higher power guiding us to our bliss. We just have to calm our minds and let go! Most importantly, listen to our intuition—it never fails us. We’re all human, so of course the ride gets a bit bumpy from time to time, but we learn to appreciate the journey along the way.
KEENAN: No doubt. Yes, I am super grateful for everything. From the luck, the believers and the bosses.
FRENDY: I went on YouTube to do some research on KITH Treats and the very first video that popped up was from Insider featuring you! I didn’t even know you were KITH Treat’s General Manager. Congrats!
KEENAN: *Laughs* Yeah, that was from the days of our Nike x KITH pop-up. We partnered with Nike and Snarkitecture to build an experiential space with a footwear floor, customizable tee shirt station, and of course KITH Treats.
FRENDY: Were you initially hired by Ronnie to be the General Manager of his brainchild’s Treats department?
KEENAN: I was first hired to be the General Manager of KITH Treats Brooklyn. I say that loosely because at the time (2016), there was only one Treats door with five employees including myself. I was fortunate enough to be part of the company during one of many growth stages. Within the first two years we grew to four doors, including one in Japan. We had also partnered with other brands to do some pretty neat pop ups. You came to visit the one on Greene St that was a partnership with thriving sports blog, Bleacher Report.
FRENDY: Yeah, man. I remember that day vividly. I appreciated the hospitality for real—met some cool people. What are some of your duties as General Manager?
KEENAN: Of course, I wanted to show you the same level of hospitality you showed me when we met at the Bape store. I was running the shop’s day-to-day ops. Basically hiring, buying, menu development and a bit of business development. My main role was to roll out the concepts and experiences that HQ was creating.
FRENDY: Awesome, and that’s with no marketing courses! You said “was running,” are you still KITH Treats’ GM?
KEENAN: I think it was my passion and interest in the culture that helped me understand the business side of things. We were creating experiences—and my interest in the sneaker and fashion world definitely helped. Shouts to Zach for making connections like you and giving me a lens into this “underground” world that was known as “hype culture.” I'm now the Director of Operations for KITH Treats. I’m still hands on with the retail doors as well. I like to keep myself planted into each level of the business.
FRENDY: My man! All deserved. When asked in a 2017 Complex video interview: “what is the most important thing for a new member of the KITH team to know, in terms of working with Ronnie Fieg?”, Ronnie stated: “work ethic on a 1,000 and no matter what your job title will be, you’re going to be wearing many many hats. Expect many things to get thrown at you and you got to be resilient.” How often do you deal with situations that may seem “unfixable”?
KEENAN: I know exactly which interview you’re talking about. It’s the one with RF and Noah from Complex. Love that one. Everything is fixable. As mentioned before, something my pops instilled in me is, “If there is a will, there is a way”.
Everything is new territory for us. If it wasn’t, we wouldn't be in the business of creating or trying to shift the culture. The level of work ethic and resilience is really just the ability to see situations through from point a to point b—and being able to understand the scenario. How you’re able to be a player or “mover” and influence that particular moment you’re dealing with. Learning the game. It takes work, but it is not impossible. You don’t know what you don’t know, but you have to be willing to learn. RF always told me: “shut up and be a sponge.” That is something that will live with me forever.
FRENDY: I remember the day Ronnie came through to the shop and then immediately proceeded to feel the quality of one of our latest releases. Knowing how meticulous he is, how hands on is he with everything from KITH’s apparel to cereal bar?
KEENAN: Ronnie is someone who is able to succeed off his intuition. He’s still very hands on—the entire brand is built off his vision and feel. He’s doing as much as he can while growing the brand and bringing us to new places. All the projects still pass through him from design, materials, roll out and campaigns. I, to this day, still run a majority of the business by him. I think at this point he’s built a team that he can trust to share the same vision and values as he does which helps with expediting projects.
FRENDY: Awesome. I know you guys are cooking up tons of new heat for the fans. Speaking of cooking—I mean, that’s what we’ve been talking about throughout our conversation—what are your top 3 favorite restaurants in NYC? And Why?
KEENAN: *Laughs* Oh man...give me a second here. In no particular order:
Tetsu: Brainchild of Chef Masa Takayama from 3 Michelin Star Sushi restaurant Masa in the Time Warner building. There is this beautiful open Kitchen with counter seating which is super engaging. The drinks are phenomenal. Service is on point, Shouts to my homie Ailin Yang the AGM! (need to confirm if she’s still there). It's a really comfortable environment with the perfect balance of privacy and engagement from the Kitchen.
Au Cheval: Their burger is to die for. It’s the same burger from 4 Charles. The basement has this really cool underground vibe, which is a good precursor to the main event in the dining room. Great sound system in there too.
Hop Sing: Chinatown spot, unfortunately I think they're still closed due to Covid-19 but that is my Grandparents’ favorite spot. Really good home style Cantonese cooking. They’re famous for their whole poached chicken in this sweet vinegar and chili sauce. The service is really what makes it for me. No gimmicks, you chat with the servers about how their family is doing more than what their menu recommendation is. True family style.
Raku: They have two locations I think. One in the East Village and one near NYU. Their Niku Udon is out of this world. Made with an in-house udon noodle. Most restaurants buy their noodles from vendors but when you do it in house, you really get to control the bounce and flavor. The Niku udon broth is made with braised beef tendon and brisket. It’s the best broth in NYC hands down.
Frenchette: This spot has one of the best wine programs in the city. Some really fantastic natural organic wines. Their grilled Turbot is fire. Their whole fish is perfect to share family style. Something about the way French cuisine balances “not pretty” produce and refining them to be super elegant.
FRENDY: I’ll have to check those spots out. Did Anthony Bourdain play a major role in your life as a foodie?
KEENAN: Absolutely. I really wish I was able to meet him and be graced by his energy. He was the first guy to showcase Chinese food on a mainstream level. There's an episode where he goes to visit Chinatown’s Hop Kee with my mom’s childhood/elementary school friend Chef, Chris Cheung, who owns East Wind in Brooklyn. To see a White person appreciate Cantonese cooking proved that things that I once was embarrassed of eating in the cafeteria of my school had the potential for mass appeal. He gave me and minorities like myself hope and a sense of pride. Truly a legend. Rest in peace Tone.
FRENDY: What advice would you give someone who wants to get into the restaurant business, but has no plugs in the industry?
KEENAN: I feel like I’m not qualified to answer *Laughs*. Food is an amorphous idea. There is always a market for what you want to create. Be true and create what is dear to you, but do your homework and learn about the fundamentals. Like any other business, the restaurant industry is about showcasing products in your own lens. The exciting aspect of it for me is that food is always tied to culture so it's important to pay homage to its origins—but more importantly understand how these techniques and melds of flavor came to be. This will help anyone navigate and direct their business’ story with integrity. Then it will never feel like work. It should feel like constant storytelling, not work. The hours are gruesome. The energy is toxic. But you must love it.