Thousands flocked to Industry City on Saturday for the inaugural New York City edition of the Family Style Food Festival, a first-of-its-kind celebration blending culinary creativity with streetwear culture.
The all-day event, hosted by renowned food critic and influencer Keith Lee, transformed the sprawling Sunset Park campus and featured a star-studded lineup of chefs, local restaurants and top streetwear brands. Special guests included musician and OutKast member André 3000, comedian and TV host Eric André, NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash, singer and TV personality Ray J, streetwear creative director Angelo Baque, and artist and stylist Bloody Osiris, among others.
“I think it’s great to bring together local businesses,” said one amped attendee, who came after seeing the event promoted on Instagram by Lee. “This is just a great start to the summer.”
Lee, who returned as the festival’s official host, hyped up the crowd before launching his new FamiLee merch line.
“Family Style Food Festival, not only our first food fest, but also we’re finally releasing our merch that we’ve worked on for over 2 years,” Lee captioned a photo of him and his wife, Ronni, on social media. “This is such an overwhelming day, I can’t say it enough how appreciative and thankful I am to be here.”
Taking a break from his own TikTok reviews, Lee was interviewed by Jazzy — a 15-year-old reporter from Bushwick who runs Jazzy’s World TV.
The festival’s roots trace back to Los Angeles in 2019, when co-founder Miles Canares said the idea grew from recognizing how deeply food and streetwear culture overlap.
“Food is at the center of all good things,” Canares told Brooklyn Paper ahead of this year’s event. “You have meetings, you make big life decisions, you get together with friends and family around food. You can learn so much about people’s culture around food.”
He pointed out the parallel between the long lines snaking outside viral restaurants and food pop-ups and the crowds eagerly waiting for streetwear drops.
“The same person that’s in line for two hours at a Nike drop is the same person in line for two hours at L’Industrie [Pizza] or pop-ups like Shmackwich,” Canares said.
After growing on the West Coast, the festival’s acquisition by Complex Media helped expand it to new cities, with New York — and Brooklyn in particular — being a natural next step for the team.
“It’s about inclusivity,” he said. “Family style, it really is in the name. We welcome people from all walks of life.”
This year’s lineup was a who’s who of the Big Apple food scene, featuring signature dishes from celebrated chefs and iconic eateries such as 7th Street Burger, Lucali, Bonnie’s, Katz’s Deli and Dhamaka. Buldak turned up the heat with a fiery collaboration featuring Rokstar Chicken and designer VandythePink, while the Kith Treats x New Balance pop-up dished out specialty ice cream and exclusive merch.
Crowd favorites quickly emerged: “Definitely the best thing I’ve tried,” one attendee said of Chef Quan’s Curry Chicken Patty, while another couldn’t get enough of the “Rokstar Chicken” from Buldak.
The event not only highlighted the city’s rich food scene but also showcased streetwear brands such as Billionaire Boys Club, Awake NY, Kids of Immigrants, and Martine Ali, reinforcing what Canares calls a deep cultural link between food and fashion.
“Bringing Family Style to Brooklyn for the first time was such an incredible experience,” he said. “We had 39 amazing vendors and over 8,000 people come through — it was a true celebration of culture, creativity, and community. Seeing New Yorkers show up with so much energy and love for the event was such a humbling experience and we cannot wait to come back and do it again.”
With reporting by Kate Fugitt
