Meet the Maker (and Get His Recipe!): Chef Clement Chan of Torafuku

With Chinese New Year starting tomorrow (January 28!) and 2017 being the Year of the Rooster (cock-a-doodle-doo!), we knew we had to speak with Torafuku chef Clement Chan about the ins and outs of ringing in the tastiest brand-new year possible! —Siobhan Lidder

What do you love making (and eating!) most for Chinese New Year?

I love making a red-braised pork belly dish. This is a popular Chinese dish and one of the most popular for this celebration. The red-braised pork is symbolically linked with Chairman Mao Tse-tung—it is rumoured to be his favourite! In our culture, red-coloured meats are eaten for good luck and red is a symbol of good fortune and joy.

(Psst: Get his recipe for red-braised pork belly here!)

Besides red-coloured meats, are there other ingredients that are traditionally used to make Chinese New Year dishes?

There are many authentic ingredients used for Chinese New Year celebrations such as star fruits, mandarin oranges and Shanghai bok choy. I always like cooking with shitake mushrooms as well.

What are your go-to products for Chinese New Year meal prep?

At the Real Canadian Superstore and No-Frills they have brands like Rooster and T&T available for really low prices. The value and variety allow me to avoid multiple trips to specialty stores and I can get authentic ingredients such as shitake mushrooms, edamame beans, superior soy sauce and all of my essentials—and so can you! 

What are some of your personal Chinese New Year traditions? 

It is the biggest celebration we have each year so, growing up in our house, my mom would spend a lot of time decorating. She would have posters of red taped all over the walls and hanging firecrackers by the doors. She would have orange plants and bamboo plates all over the living room as well. We would always have a lot of snacks on stackable trays like red melon seeds, candied lotus root, gummies, red-wrapper candies and chocolate coins. I remember I would stay up all night so I could practise what good luck phrases I could say to my parents so I could collect stacks and stacks of lucky money. It was always all about food and celebrating with family, and of course, having a good time.

I still go to my parents’ house every year to wish them a happy Chinese New Year. We always have at least one big feast with the whole family (each dish has a lucky meaning, so the more you eat, the luckier you’ll be for the rest of the year!). I also take my mom to the Chinese New Year night market in Vancouver each year, where you can enjoy the bright lights, pick up last-minute decorations … and eat a tonne of street food!

Any last tips on making your Chinese New Year celebration the best it can be?

You want everything to be just right so, if you forget anything, just remember that your Real Canadian Superstore or No Frills has everything you need for Chinese New Year, from the produce to the décor, the candies and even the red envelopes. It’s a one-stop Chinese New Year shop!

Torafuku, 958 Main St., Vancouver, 778-903-2006, torafuku.ca