SSP Canada has opened Lucky Lily Asian Brasserie, a new chef-driven dining concept created in collaboration with celebrated Canadian chef Nicole Gomes, in Vancouver International Airport (YVR)’s Domestic Terminal.
The new concept brings bold Asian flavors, modern brasserie dining, and a deeply personal story of family, heritage, and good fortune to travelers. Developed specifically for YVR, Lucky Lily Asian Brasserie, offering full-service dining and grab-and-go items, reflects the airport’s commitment to creating a passenger experience rooted in the communities, cultures, and culinary traditions of British Columbia, SSP said.
Born and raised in Richmond, B.C., Chef Nicole Gomes is one of Canada’s most recognized culinary talents. Her achievements include being A “Top Chef Canada All-Stars” champion, “Iron Chef Gauntlet” finalist, and “Top Chef World All-Stars” contestant. Inspired by her travels through Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and beyond, she channels the vibrant flavors, street food culture, and warm hospitality she encountered into a menu of comforting noodles, fragrant curries, rice bowls, dim sum, breakfast dishes, and bold brasserie fare.
The name Lucky Lily honors Chef Gomes’ daughter, Anh Lily, and her grandmother Lily, who first helped teach her to cook and understand food as a way of caring for people. In Chinese culture, lilies are associated with good fortune and renewal, giving the restaurant a name that reflects family, heritage, and the spirit of travel.
“Lucky Lily is truly a Vancouver original, and we are proud to partner with Chef Gomes and SSP Canada to bring this homegrown concept to life,” said Benedict Ma, director of passenger retail experience at YVR. “This new offering supports us in connecting the passenger journey at YVR to authentic local tastes while providing reciprocal value to the local economy and showcasing B.C.’s culinary contributions to a global audience.”
Paul Loupakos, executive vice president of business development for SSP Canada, said Luck Lily Asian Brasserie is “exactly the kind of airport dining experience SSP Canada is proud to help bring to life — local in its roots, global in its inspiration, and deeply personal in its story. Chef Nicole Gomes has created a concept that feels vibrant, generous, and unmistakably connected to Richmond and Vancouver’s extraordinary food culture.”
