Keith was raised in Toms River, NJ, the son of two immigrants who made their way to the US from the Philippines. He spent many years on the east coast working at several different restaurants while putting himself through nursing school. 

In the Philippines, Keith's father was a civil engineer. When he moved to America the language barrier hindered him from getting a job in his field so he became a dishwasher at a restaurant. His dad rose through the ranks in the kitchen quickly, and  soon became the head chef. By the time he was 13, Keith was a regular fixture in the kitchen.

Keith's mom was a nurse, so it was inevitable that he would follow in her footsteps as well. Whether it be in the kitchen or at the hospital, Keith thrives in high pressure environments. He loves making people feel better and he does that with his bedside manner or his favorite go-to budget meal, fried rice. 

During the pandemic Keith really learned to cook on a budget. His father gave him a strong foundation but once Keith realized he could make amazing meals with canned goods and what he had in the pantry he never looked back. Keith is now saving every penny he can so he can buy a house and build out his dream kitchen. 

Keith's secret weapon in the kitchen are anchovies and he believes they are under-utilized in restaurants around the world. He loves to add them into meals for more protein and umami flavor. Keith is also a big fan of using inexpensive cuts of meat and toasting his spices to unlock the full flavor.