Celebrating Lunar New Year Through the Culinary Heritage of Our Sous Chef: Meet Chef Vivian

The Lunar New Year is a time of joy, family, and rich traditions that bring meaning to every dish served at the table. We could think of no better time to introduce one of our sous chefs to you so we could simultaneously tell you a little bit about the Chinese Lunar New Year and some of the special meals we're offering this week. So without further ado, we are pleased to introduce Chef Vivian. She has been with us just a little over a year, so you're already enjoying her work. No doubt you've already figured there was zero chance Chef Ginny was doing all these meals alone, right?

Chef Vivian at home cooking at one of her famous dumpling making parties

Chef Vivian works with us every day at San Mateo Supper Club, and also dedicates a large percentage of her time volunteering at the Samaritan House--serving meals and managing other volunteers in the kitchen making & serving meals to our community in need. Part of our mission is to build community, and we are proud one of our sous chef's has built that into her life's work. Her parents hail from Taiwan, and we've learned that she gained many of her skills from her parents through one of the most magical of all holidays--the Lunar New Year.

There have been many times we have encountered some amazing knife work in the kitchen by Chef Vivian, and we've been humbled to discover she did the work with only her regular knife (she affectionately calls it her "sword"). Upon seeing pictures of her past Lunar New Year meals--she's shared some of the intricate knife work her father does every year. Behold:

Chef Vivian's father's knife work for past Lunar New Year's celebrations

Clearly Chef Vivian is talented and well trained, and the more we learn about her culinary craftwork, we also learn more about some of her family's traditions. Many of these celebrations and traditions reveal how food connects generations and honors cultural heritage as her parents are from Taiwan. As Americans many of us are familiar with extensive preparations for holidays such as Thanksgiving--however--it's amazing to learn about the depth of work, symbolism and planning that goes into many Lunar New Year's traditions. The heavily symbolic foods focus on bringing luck, prosperity, wealthy & longevity for the coming year. Key auspicious dishes include whole fish for abundance, dumplings for wealth, long noodles for longevity, and citrus fruits for fortune. There are many more--these are just some examples.

There are also many layers of meaning in the preparations, including number of dishes. Here is a glimpse at Chef Vivian's past Lunar New Year's feast:

Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the beginning of the lunar calendar year. In Taiwan, this holiday is the most important family gathering of the year. It is a time when families come together to honor ancestors, share meals, and welcome good fortune for the year ahead.

Chef Vivian brings this rich heritage into her work every day. We notice and appreciate her deep respect for ingredients, the attention to detail, and the understanding of food as a carrier of meaning, connection and health. She is a talented and respected leader on our team. She believes that food is a way to tell stories and create connections, just as her parents have shown her.

This coming year is the year of the Fire Horse. Chef Vivian has helped us develop some dishes to offer to you for the start of the Lunar New Year which starts on Tuesday 2/17 and runs for 15 days! We hope that some of our preparations help you celebrate new beginnings this coming year in 2026. We are honored to serve you and your families, and we always seek to make the best possible meals and bring you our very best efforts each and every day.

Check out our latest menu HERE and order now to enjoy some Lunar New Year celebratory meals.