Cat. PL-A-001Vault 01 · 1994
1994 · Tokyo, Japan
Ginza Storefront
The first Pepper Lunch door. Eight-seat counter, one grill captain, a line around the block by the third week.
Our Story
The Original DIY Teppanyaki
Born in Tokyo in 1994, Pepper Lunch wasn't just a new restaurant. It was a new kind of satisfaction.
As Honored By
QSR Media Asia, 2026· three category honors.
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Tokyo
Where It Started
The team that sparked a global movement. From one kitchen in Ofuna to a family of thousands.
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Phoenix
The NA Crew
Passionate team members bringing the sizzle to Arizona, California, and beyond every single day.
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Singapore
Global Family
Across 17 countries, our people share one thing: a love for creating memorable dining moments.
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Alhambra
Local Heroes
Every location is powered by a team that takes pride in the craft of interactive teppanyaki.
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Seoul
Culture Makers
From Korea to Australia, our crews bring local flavor and global standards together on every plate.
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Everywhere
Your People
The guests, the cooks, the creators. Pepper Lunch is the community that gathers around the sizzle.
Our Community
The People Behind
The Sizzle
Pepper Lunch is more than a restaurant. It’s a global family of team members, franchise partners, and guests who share a passion for creating something together at the table.
From Tokyo to Phoenix, Seoul to Sydney, our people bring warmth, energy, and pride to every location. Every sizzle starts with the hands that prepare it and the smiles that serve it.
Our Full Story#SizzleItYourWay
Tag the plate. Join the wall.
Every plate has a story. Tag @pepperlunchusa on Instagram or TikTok and your plate joins the wall — we re-share the best every week.
Guinness World Record
Yes, We Hold a World Record.
Pepper Lunch is officially in the Guinness World Records book. We earned it on World Pepper Rice Day, when fans in 17 countries showed up to the plate at the same hour to make it happen. Very few restaurant brands hold an official Guinness title — we do, and we’re proud of it.
World Pepper Rice Day
Officially Amazing · Guinness World Records
Mission
Our Mission
Bring the Pepper Lunch ritual to every city we can — one 500°F plate at a time.
Values
Our Values
Hot iron. Real ingredients. The guest finishes the cook. Hospitality before scale.
Promise
Our Promise
Every plate leaves the kitchen still cooking, every time, in every country we open.
01
Who We Are 01
Our Mission
To bring the joy of interactive dining to every table. We believe food tastes better when you create it yourself, on a 500°F plate that makes every meal an event.
02
Who We Are 02
Our Values
Quality without compromise. Innovation with purpose. Every ingredient sourced with care, every process refined for consistency, every guest treated like family.
03
Who We Are 03
Our Promise
The same sizzle in Tokyo, Phoenix, and Seoul. Wherever you find a Pepper Lunch, you find a team committed to freshness, warmth, and an experience you control.
Our Journey
30 Years of Sizzle
1994
The First Sizzle
Kunio Ichinose opens the first Pepper Lunch in Tokyo, inventing the DIY teppanyaki hot plate concept.
2005
Going Global
Pepper Lunch expands beyond Japan, opening in South Korea, Singapore, and across Southeast Asia.
2015
500°F Standard
The signature 500-degree cast iron plate becomes the universal standard across all locations worldwide.
2022
North America
Hot Palette America Inc. launches, bringing Pepper Lunch to Arizona, California, Nevada, and Hawaii.
2024
540+ Locations
Pepper Lunch reaches 540+ locations across 17 countries on 4 continents, with 90% franchisee renewal.
Now
Your City Next
Expanding across North America with new locations in Texas, Florida, and beyond. Territory opportunities are limited.
From the Vault
Thirty Years of Sizzle,
Pulled From the Files.
Selected frames from the Pepper Lunch archive — the first door, the original plate, menu cards, opening-day storefronts. Scroll across the table.
Cat. PL-A-007Vault 01 · 1994
1994 · R&D Kitchen
The Original Hot Plate
Kunio Ichinose’s cast-iron prototype — sanded at 500°F so the first bite always sounds like dinner.
Cat. PL-A-014Vault 01 · 1997
1997 · Shibuya
Menu Card, No. 3
Third revision. The Beef Pepper Rice was renamed twice before we landed on the phrase guests were already using at the register.
Cat. PL-A-029Vault 01 · 2005
2005 · Seoul, Korea
First International Door
The first store outside Japan. The hot plate travelled in a wooden crate padded with Japanese newspaper.
Cat. PL-A-042Vault 01 · 2012
2012 · JEM Mall
Singapore Opening
The prototype for the mall-court format. Two grill stations, open pass, same eight-seat counter in spirit.
Cat. PL-A-061Vault 01 · 2022
2022 · Scottsdale, AZ
North America Arrives
Hot Palette America’s first door. Same plate. Same sear. New zip code, same original recipe card.
— Archive maintained by Hot Palette America Inc. · 1994–Present
News & Press
Latest News
Pepper Lunch Announces New Opening in Phoenix
Pepper Lunch announced the grand opening of its newest restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona.
Pepper Lunch Reaches 540+ Locations Worldwide
Hot Palette Holdings celebrates the brand crossing 540 restaurants across 17 countries.
Named Best Fast Casual Brand in Asia 2026
The 2026 QSR Media Asia Awards recognize Pepper Lunch across three categories.
Pepper Lunch Launches New Kids Menu
Experiential fast-casual expands family-friendly dining globally.
Speaker Spotlight: Troy Hooper, CEO, Hot Palette America
Leadership spotlight on the growth strategy behind Pepper Lunch.
Never Miss a Sizzle
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Franchise Opportunities
Bring The Sizzle
To Your City
540+ locations across 17 countries. Limited territories available.
540+
Locations
17
Countries
90%
Renewal Rate