Bringing keto to city: Belgian chef's health and business vision

Bruno Schuyten, a Belgian chef and life coach who has lived in Shenzhen for over 10 years, founded LWLUP with his girlfriend in Shekou, Nanshan District, in 2024. More than just a restaurant, LWLUP is a community space where locals and expats can connect, share experiences, and enjoy healthier food.

What makes LWLUP different is its focus on the ketogenic (keto) diet, a way of eating that transformed not only Schuyten’s own health but also that of his stepdaughter.

Bruno Schuyten, owner of LWLUP, has a big vision for his keto-focused business in China. Photos by Liu Yangyang

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet designed to shift the body into a state called ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. By drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing healthy fats, the body produces ketones, an alternative energy source for the brain and muscles.

Wake-up call about nutrition

“I thought I was eating healthy,” said Schuyten, recalling the time before he turned to a keto diet. “I followed the usual advice — lots of bread, rice, and potatoes. But I kept gaining weight, I was always tired, and I felt mentally drained.”

His biggest concern was his severe acne. “I had pimples as big as my thumb on my face, shoulders, and back,” he said. “Then someone told me, ‘You’re eating too much sugar.’ I was confused because I wasn’t eating candy, but then I realized my diet was full of hidden sugars from carbs.”

Curious, he researched different diets and came across the elimination diet, which involves eating just one protein, one fat, and one carbohydrate for a month. “I decided to try it,” he said. “Within weeks, my acne almost disappeared, my energy returned, and my mind felt clearer.”

That led him to discover the Bulletproof Diet, a flexible form of keto that reduces carbs and increases healthy fats. He gave it a shot. “In three months, I lost 10 kilograms, felt amazing, and had more energy than ever,” Schuyten said.

But the biggest surprise came from his doctor. “Before keto, my doctor warned me I was on the verge of diabetes and might need insulin soon,” he said. “Three months later, my blood tests showed I was no longer prediabetic. That’s when I knew — this diet could change lives.”

A bigger mission

While Schuyten was already convinced of keto’s benefits for weight loss and metabolic health, his belief in its healing power deepened when his girlfriend’s daughter was diagnosed with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA), an autoimmune disease.

“At first, the doctor said she could eat anything since they didn’t know what was causing the condition,” he said. “But I knew that autoimmune diseases are linked to chronic inflammation, and I was certain that processed food would only make it worse.”

Under the guidance of a doctor specializing in ketogenic nutrition, they put the girl on a strict keto diet. Within three weeks, the girl’s inflammatory markers dropped significantly — so much so that she was able to leave the hospital.

Seeing firsthand how food could mitigate serious medical conditions, Schuyten realized that keto wasn’t just a personal choice — it was something that could help others, too.

Turning passion into business

At home, Schuyten was already cooking keto-friendly meals for his family. “We had already seen how keto transformed our lives, so when we launched LWLUP, it made perfect sense to bring that same philosophy to the community,” he said.

To encourage people to stay longer at LWLUP, the couple started making snacks, then drinks, and eventually turned the place into a fully licensed kitchen.

Bruno Schuyten cooks in the kitchen.

From there, the business expanded rapidly. LWLUP now serves fresh, keto-friendly meals for event attendees, international school teachers, and customers across China. “Many people struggle to find keto ingredients or plan meals,” he said. “So we vacuum-seal, freeze, and deliver meals to customers in Sichuan and other provinces.”

A keto-focused business

LWLUP has already established itself as a leading keto meal provider in Shenzhen, but Schuyten has bigger ambitions. “Right now, we serve 45 meals per day,” he said. “In five years, I want to reach 100+ meals per day and move to a central kitchen model that allows us to expand efficiently.”

The central kitchen would help streamline production and improve cost efficiency, allowing the business to scale while maintaining quality. “The goal is to train a team and create more jobs while making healthy food more accessible,” he said.

To reach more customers, LWLUP is also working on expanding its delivery network. “We already have customers in multiple provinces, and we’re looking at ways to make national distribution easier,” he said. “There’s a clear demand for high-quality keto meals, and we want to fill that gap.”

Schuyten is also exploring keto-friendly Chinese cuisine to appeal to a broader local market. “Most keto recipes are Western, which makes it harder for Chinese customers to fully commit,” he said. “I’d love to work with a Chinese chef to adapt traditional dishes to be keto-friendly.”

Why Shenzhen?

For Schuyten, Shenzhen is the perfect place to grow LWLUP. “This city moves fast, but in a healthy way,” he said. “Unlike places like New York or Hong Kong, where people are either too busy or too relaxed, Shenzhen has balance — you can work hard but still have time for hiking, parks, or the beach.”

He also loves its international culture. “Shenzhen isn’t just China — it’s a mix of people from every province and country,” he said. “That openness makes it easier to introduce new ideas, like keto.”

His long-term goal? Make keto meals accessible across China. “At the end of the day, this isn’t just about business,” he said. “It’s about helping people transform their lives — just like I did.”