Lunar New Year at the Garden: Celebrating the Year of the Horse with Taiwanese Flavours

Our Lunar New Year at the Garden cookbook club brought together 50 home cooks to celebrate the Year of the Horse with Taiwanese dishes, heartfelt surprises, and community at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.

It’s the Year of the Horse, and there’s truly no better way to welcome Lunar New Year than by gathering around the table to share meaningful dishes together. For our first Vancouver Cookbook Club of the year, we hosted Lunar New Year at the Garden at the iconic Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, a venue that felt especially fitting as it also celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Nestled in the heart of Chinatown, the Garden provided a serene and culturally rich backdrop for the occasion. From the moment guests arrived, the space set the tone for a thoughtful and festive afternoon rooted in tradition, food, and community.

For this theme, we selected Tiffy Cooks: 88 Asian Recipes, a cookbook that perfectly captures comforting, home-style Taiwanese dishes ideal for Lunar New Year. I first learned about Tiffy while studying at BCIT, when one of my marketing professors mentioned that she was also an alum of the same program and had since built a career as a full-time food creator. What I’ve always admired about Tiffy is her approach to Asian cooking, her recipes are approachable, unfussy, and deeply personal, each inspired by her family’s home cooking. Watching her videos, her warmth and authenticity shine through, and that genuineness is exactly what resonated with us.

For the event, we set up two long communal tables to welcome all 50 guests. Each table was beautifully draped in red by the Chinese Garden team, symbolizing luck and prosperity for the new year. As a special touch, Cynthia designed custom lantern bookmarks using a Cricut machine, each personalized with our guests’ names. They doubled as cookbook bookmarks or festive keepsakes to hang at home. Red pockets were placed at each seat, holding a surprise to be revealed later in the event, and guests were welcomed with a warm cup of jasmine tea provided by the Garden.

Captured by @glennyloves

Of all the cookbook clubs we’ve hosted, this one truly stood out, especially in the quality and care behind each dish. The recipes were wonderful, but it was the 50 home cooks who brought them to life with so much love and passion. From Cherry’s prawn and pineapple fried rice, beautifully served inside a hollowed pineapple, to Maryam’s mushroom and bok choy dish that looked straight out of a MICHELIN-starred kitchen, every contribution was memorable.

To make the day even more special, Tiffy and her husband Dom surprised our guests with an appearance. Tiffy graciously took time to personally sign cookbooks, creating such a meaningful moment for many attendees. And just when guests thought the surprises were over, we had one more in store for Tiffy. Coincidentally, it was also her birthday weekend, and we celebrated with a mango chiffon cake I made just for her. Everyone joined in to sing, making it an intimate, joyful moment we’ll always remember.

Captured by @glennyloves

Tiffy and Dom’s generosity didn’t stop there—they gifted each guest a jar of Kai Dong Mama’s Chili Oil, perfect to take home or enjoy with the dishes at the table. They also contributed a Lunar New Year Gift Box as one of our raffle prizes, adding yet another thoughtful layer to the event.

As the afternoon wrapped up, guests were invited to wander through the Garden and take in its Lunar New Year–themed décor, rounding out the experience beautifully. The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden will also be hosting their own Lunar New Year celebrations on February 21 and 22, which you can check out! We will also be hosting a Lunar New Year Floral Workshop as another creative way to celebrate.

Our Lunar New Year at the Garden cookbook club was a heartfelt way to begin the year, filled with meaningful food, thoughtful details, and genuine connection. From sharing Taiwanese dishes inspired by family recipes to celebrating unexpected moments of joy, the event captured everything we love about cookbook club: community, culture, and coming together around the table. It was a celebration we’ll cherish, and the perfect start to the Year of the Horse.

Interested in joining our Vancouver Cookbook Club? Make sure to sign up for our Interest Form or discover more events through The Social House.

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