A British man known as ‘Old Dry Keith,’ famous for creating ‘white people’s food,’ has passed away after battling bone cancer. Keith garnered millions of views daily on the Chinese platform Douyin, where he prepared simple meals like ham sandwiches and eggs on toast.
His wife ‘Jane’ Zhang Jian managed his account, which amassed over one million followers. This led to a trend in China where people attempted to recreate their own ‘dry lunch.’ Some Chinese supermarkets even established a ‘dry shopping area’ featuring ingredients Keith commonly used, such as bread.
Keith and Jane met in Malaysia in 2007. Jane began posting videos of Keith as she adjusted to life in the UK. Their content quickly went viral in China, with one notable clip showing Keith searching unsuccessfully for an avocado to accompany his smoked salmon.
How a ham and tomato sandwich turned a British pensioner into ‘Old Dry Keith’ – a phenomenon whose boring daily snack routine was watched by millions of Chinese fans horrified by his bland food https://t.co/PCXBuMahZf pic.twitter.com/YaBY1Jd18X
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) September 24, 2024
Jane expressed her surprise to The Times: ‘I was quite surprised by how popular Keith became in China. It’s not that I didn’t expect people to like him, but I wasn’t prepared for how it would turn out.’
Chinese writer Zhou Zhiruo remarked: ‘We watch him struggling to saw apart two slices of dry bread, as hard as weapons-grade steel, slicing off a few thin streaks of yellow from a block of hardened butter that has not yet completely thawed, and then placing two slices of pre-smoked salmon on top.
China grieves ‘Old dry uncle Keith’ and his bland British food https://t.co/i1PrtbV3Pa
— ITV News (@itvnews) September 24, 2024
‘This vision is enough to make ordinary people think of the lunch they just hurriedly swallowed, and feel empathy and sadness. ‘He is just like all those of us who have to pay our credit card bill but our salary hasn’t arrived, or have to go to a meeting but find that their mobile phone battery is at 10 per cent. He bravely faces all of life’s blows.’
What Other Media Are Saying
- Metro.co.uk reports that China mourns British man ‘Dry Old Keith’ famous for bland sandwiches, highlighting his viral popularity and fans’ emotional responses to his passing. (Read more)
- STV News reports on China’s grief for “Old Dry Uncle Keith,” a British man who became an internet sensation for his simple, dry British sandwiches on Douyin, despite humorous roasts from Chinese fans. (Read more)
- Yahoo: Keith Brown, a retired British engineer, gained fame for his ‘dry’ sandwiches, earning him millions of followers before his untimely death from bone cancer. (Read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Who was ‘Old Dry Keith’?
A British man who went viral for making simple ‘white people’s food’ and gained popularity on China’s Douyin platform.
What kind of food did Keith make?
Keith made simple lunches like ham sandwiches and eggs on toast.
How did Keith become popular in China?
His wife posted videos of him making lunches, which quickly gained millions of viewers on Douyin.
What trend did Keith inspire in China?
Keith inspired a trend of people creating their own ‘dry lunch’ and led to ‘dry shopping areas’ in supermarkets.
How did Keith and his wife Jane meet?
Keith and Jane met in Malaysia in 2007.
