3 Bay Area chefs on what they cook for Chinese New Year

What kind of food will be popping up on tables during the 2026 Lunar New Year?

In Chinese culture – not the only Asian culture to celebrate the holiday, surely, but a big one in the Bay Area – think whole fish, which represents family and sharing. Or think dumplings, which represent wealth and good fortune with shapes recalling gold ingots. And across regions and families, there are, of course, the personal traditions that mark this most auspicious holiday.

As the big day (of a weekslong celebration) approaches on Tuesday, Feb.