Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of the Virgin Group, recently took to Instagram to sing the praises of Prince Rupert's Fukasaku restaurant, calling it the best meal of his life.
A Surprise Shout-Out
Branson visited the seafood and sushi restaurant on May 26 when Virgin's Brilliant Lady cruise ship docked in Prince Rupert. He followed up with a glowing Instagram post over the weekend, sharing his experience with his millions of followers.
"This was, hands down, the best meal of my life. @Fukasakupr is a restaurant we visited on @VirginVoyages' MerMaiden trip from Seattle. It's in Prince Rupert, B.C., and it's run by a delightful Japanese chef, Dai Fukasaku. The restaurant is right on the water, and they only use seafood caught by local fishermen. From the Maple Miso Glazed Black Cod to the seafood ramen — it was utterly delicious and I would recommend it to anyone who passes through," Branson posted.
Chef Fukasaku's Response
Chef Dai Fukasaku expressed his gratitude on Instagram, saying, "Not only did he enjoy every dish, he also left us this incredibly kind note on the menu. Moments like this remind us how special Prince Rupert and our local food community truly are — and how incredible sustainable seafood can be when it's treated with care and respect. Thank you so much for visiting us and enjoying everything."
A Commitment to Local and Sustainable Seafood
Fukasaku first opened the small 14-seat establishment in 2013 with a commitment to the Ocean Wise approach, using only seafood caught in British Columbia. The drinks menu features local breweries, sake makers, and B.C. VQA wines.
"I believe in local consumption. It is eco-friendly in terms of reducing CO2 emissions as it is the least travelled food, it contributes to the local economy as well as fisheries, and the bottom line — it is delicious! I wanted to set an example of what a restaurant could accomplish using only the freshest sustainably caught seafood when I first started in 2013," chef Fukasaku says on the restaurant's website.
The restaurant also operates a market that "is devoted to connect local/B.C. fishermen, farmers, harvesters and artisans to the local and out of town consumers."
