Japan's Pepper Lunch opening first Canadian location in Metro Vancouver

Dec 19 2017, 9:26 pm

Pepper Lunch, a popular DIY “fast-steak” restaurant launched in Japan, will open their first North American location in Richmond, with one to follow in Vancouver.

The concept of Pepper Lunch is to put the cooking in the customers’ hands. Diners can “sizzle it their way” by selecting their meat or seafood and then cooking it to order on a customized Pepper Lunch hot plate. This special patented hot plate was created by Pepper Lunch’s founder, Chef and Inventor Kunio Ichinose, and uses “proprietary, electromagnetic cooking technology and is sizzling hot at the table, about 260 degrees Celsius,” Pepper Lunch Canada explains. Don’t worry if you’re not a culinary genius; the staff will help you get cooking.

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On the menu are a variety of steaks and meats. The most popular dishes are the original Beef Pepper Lunch and Pepper Steak, which are often served with one of two sauces; the Amakuchi is a honey brown sauce, and the Karakuchi is a garlic soy sauce. Other dishes on the menu include Beef and Pork Curry Rice, and Sakura Pork Pepper Rice.

Pepper Lunch started in 1994 in Japan, and has expanded to over 350 worldwide locations, including in Asia and Australia. The Richmond location, at 150-­5951 No. 3 Road, will be the first in Canada, and in North America. You may have seen their ads start popping up in December at Canada Line stations.

In Canada, Pepper Lunch will use only Canadian Certified Angus Beef and local, seasonal, ingredients whenever possible, like Steelhead salmon in British Columbia.

“We are truly excited to bring the Pepper Lunch concept to Canadians, something that is currently only available in Japan, Asia, and Australia,” says Denis Sy, General Manager of Pepper Lunch Canada.

Look for the Richmond location to open this winter. You can keep tabs on the progress via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photos courtesy Pepper Lunch Canada

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