Yu Sasaki Has Always Been Hungry

Featured Image: Hywel Williams | Skier: Yu Sasaki

Long before the sun crests over the peaks of Revelstoke, Yu Sasaki is slicing vegetables in the back of his food truck. Aromas of ginger and garlic seep out of the doors and into the crisp morning mountain air of Revelstoke, British Columbia; a harbinger of the meals yet to be served. 

It’s a far shout from the Freeride World Tour starting gate or the big screen of a Matchstick Productions premier. But, for Sasaki, former FWT competitor turned ski film star, grinding through hot summers in the kitchen of his two food trucks is what drives skiing forward. 

“I try to make the most of each day so I can step into winter stronger and more prepared for the season,” says Sasaki. “Summer is the busy season for my food truck, so I’m focused on working hard and making money so that, come winter, I can just focus on skiing.”

Photo: Jack Ryan

Sasaki didn’t set out to be a chef as a side hustle. At the ripe age of 19, he moved out to Canada with nothing but a pair of skis and a dream. With no job skills and bills to pay, a local sushi restaurant in Whistler offered to teach him how to cook. Cooking was more than just a paycheck, though. It proved to be his ticket to freedom. 

“Pushing my limits is something I’m always drawn to,” says Sasaki. “When we have success, it feels like after skiing a big line and I get the same happiness from it.”

The Peak Performance skier's path shifted unexpectedly back in 2021 following a season-ending injury, sidelining him from his dream of starring in his first film. "We made a plan to shoot, but unfortunatley I tore my achilles right before we started filming," says Sasaki. "It was too bad, and bad timing, and then my dream kind of slipped away."

Rather than throwing in the towel, he embraced the other side of ski films and started producing his own. Creating and learning alongside fellow Revelstoke and full time freeski legend local Sammy Carlson helped him to discover how much fun making ski films could be. "Sammy is super kind and since we both live in Revelstoke he kept hitting me up to ask me to film with him. We've had a lot of good times together since!" Sasaki's creative style clearly manifests in both his films and his cuisine.

You'll be hard pressed to find better bites in Revy

Sasaki’s two food trucks, Far East Bistro and Twilight Bite, blend Japanese comfort food with North American cuisine to provide Revelstoke mountaingoers with nutritious, quality eats after big days of adventuring and Sasaki with the freedom to take on massive projects every winter. 

Sasaki is quite familiar with combining polar opposites, splitting time between Sapporo, Japan boasting the highest snowfall in the world and the freeride paradise of Revelstoke, Canada. His main goal, with his films and food, is to share slices of home with the rest of the world. 

Even in the heat of August, Sasaki has his sights set on a big winter. He’s got plans to film again this winter in Japan, Europe, and possibly even Alaska. But first? More stir fried noodles, rice balls, and 5 AM mornings. Yu Sasaki has always been hungry. Whether it's big lines, deep snow or the perfect shot, his plate is full.