No plans for Lunar New Year in Vancouver? Think again!
For the first time ever, BC’s largest shopping centre, Metropolis at Metrotown, is adding a major culinary celebration to go along with its Lunar New Year festivities.
The brand-new Chef Series is set to be a fun-filled community experience where Asian cuisine shines brightly from some of the province’s most recognized chefs, including Haan Palcu-Chang, Quang Dang, Chanthy Yen, and Katy Cheung! The chefs will take centre stage at the Grand Court to ring in the Year of the Snake!
Intrigued? We get it! Here’s just a little sneak peek of what’s to come.
Haan Palcu-Chang
Metropolis at Metrotown
Salt Spring Island’s Chef Haan Palcu-Chang packs a flavourful bite with every dish created, harkening back to his childhood days chowing down on cabbage rolls and dim sum from his Taiwanese-Romanian heritage.
These days, Palcu-Chang has landed roles at multiple MICHELIN-starred restaurants across Europe including Copenhagen and Paris, and also helped launch Vancouver’s renowned Maenam restaurant.
With several very impressive accolades under his belt — like Le Fooding Guide’s Best Gastro-Bar for Paris’ Le Mary Celeste, Toronto Life’s Best New Restaurant for Favorites Thai BBQ, and a Top Chef Canada season 11 finalist spot — Palcu-Chang is delivering Taiwanese stir-fried rice cakes for The Met’s Lunar New Year Celebration.
When: Check out Haan’s chef demo on February 2 at noon!
Chanthy Yen
Metropolis at Metrotown
Chef Chanthy Yen knows a thing or two about good food, having been the personal chef to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the force behind Vancouver’s Nightshade, a double MICHELIN Bib Gourmand winner. This impressive resume can be traced back to Chef Yen’s early days cooking Cambodian dishes with his grandmother.
Today, you can find Chef Chanthy, the season 11 winner of Top Chef Canada, leading the charge at the Venetian-inspired MICHELIN Recommended Bacaro. For this Lunar New Year celebration, Chef Chanthy is whipping up delectable coconut rice and bananas!
When: Chanthy’s chef demo is set for February 2 at 3 pm.
Quang Dang
Metropolis at Metrotown
Champion of Canada’s West Coast food scene, Chef Quang Dang is bringing his star-studded culinary journey and Vietnamese-Scottish heritage to Metropolis at Metrotown. Racking up serious buzz and accomplishment, Dang got his start at Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House, advancing throughout his career into Executive Chef gigs at Diva Restaurant, West, and Whistler’s Araxi Restaurant.
At West in particular, Dang helped the restaurant win coveted awards in the mid-2000s as a sous chef, returning to lead that kitchen as Executive Chef a few years later. Dang now steers his own catering business, QD Catering & Hospitality, while his focus on sustainability drives much of his culinary approach.
For The Met’s very first Lunar New Year celebration, guests will be able to indulge in Chef Dang’s thit kho tàu —pork and eggs cooked in caramelized coconut.
When: Check out Dang’s culinary skills at his chef demo on February 9 at 3 pm.
Katy Cheung
Metropolis at Metrotown
Born in Van and raised in Hong Kong, sous-chef Katy Cheung is part of the impressive team behind the MICHELIN-starred Burdock & Co. — the first female-owned Canadian restaurant to receive a MICHELIN Star! — helping to deliver sensational plates for nearly five years.
Deciding between studying Chinese in Beijing or starting her culinary journey, Cheung got into her first restaurant gig at Hong Kong’s Blue Butcher. Shortly after, she pivoted to open a sandwich spot with her friend, Bread & Beast, focusing on precise butchery, baked bread, and house-made pickles.
Making her way back to Vancouver four years later, Cheung pivoted again to expand her skills at Heirloom Vegetarian and explore veganism, telling Daily Hive, “I got consumed in wanting to learn more about vegan cooking as that was what interested me the most.” After taking courses at Northwest Culinary, Cheung eventually found herself working at acclaimed Burdock & Co. And, as her exciting career continues, Cheung has gone on to win a BC Chef’s Table competition with a Cantonese-style vegan curry and hosts various pop-ups across Vancouver.
The Met’s Lunar New Year celebration will see Chef Cheung remix the radish cake.
When: Catch her special demo on February 9 at noon!
Ring in the Year of the Snake
Metropolis at Metrotown
Beyond the impressive Chef Series, The Met is hosting several fun activities to enjoy.
Take in a traditional Lion Dance where two teams will parade through the Grand Court and hand out red envelopes for good fortune. Want to indulge even more? Check out the Learn How to Lion Dance workshop on February 1 where you’ll learn traditional kung fu and Foshan-style lion dancing. On February 2, you’ll be able to witness an exciting dumpling eating contest between chef demonstrations.
In collaboration with the Chinese Canadian Museum, cultural workshops will also be taking place, including Chinese lantern-making, abacus learning, and family-friendly fun.
Lunar New Year celebrations at The Met run from January 13 – February 16! Check out more of the fun programming online and get ready for the best year yet.
Lunar New Year at the Met 2025
Where: Metropolis at Metrotown — 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby
When: Now – February 16
Time: Chef Series cooking demonstrations are taking place on February 2 and 9 at 12 pm & 3 pm respectively.
Tickets: Free to attend, open to the public