The world’s most followed TikTok star stopped by a Toronto eatery Monday, weeks after he was detained by ICE agents in the U.S.
A typical day at Authentic Shawarma and Burger, near Little Italy, was interrupted by a surprise visit from Italian influencer Khaby Lame, who has amassed more than 162 million followers and 2.5 billion likes on the social media platform.
Owner and head chef of the restaurant Halil Ibrahim Uzunparmak is among Lame’s millions of followers.
“I asked ‘you’re an influencer?’ After that I said, ‘would you like Turkish food?’” Uzunparmak told the Star, recounting giving Lame a chicken wrap and chicken salad.
The visit shined a bright light on Authentic Shawarma and Burger, which opened just a month and a half ago on May 4. Uzunparmak said an Instagram post of the two of them has sparked hundreds of views and comments.
“We had the sweetest surprise,” the post read. “Thank you for stopping in and brightening our day with your amazing energy.”
The chef recounted Lame calling his Turkish food “the top No. 1” he’s had.
The 25-year-old influencer was born in Senegal but moved to Italy when he was a young child. He rose to fame during the COVID-19 pandemic when he would silently spoof viral internet trends like “life hacks.” Lame wouldn’t speak in his videos, only offering a signature, unimpressed look.
He made headlines earlier in June when he was detained by U.S. immigration agents in Las Vegas for allegedly overstaying his visa.
Lame left the U.S. on June 6 without a deportation order after he arrived on April 30, an ICE spokesperson told The Associated Press. He was given a voluntary departure which allows those facing removal from the U.S. to avoid a deportation order on their immigration record, which could prevent them from being allowed back into the U.S. for up to a decade.
The influencer attended the Met Gala one month prior to his detainment.
With files from the Associated Press
