Happy Lunar New Year

New Year, New Job!

Gong hei fat choi (Happy new year)! My name is Holly and early this year I started my first job at ACME as an R&D scientist. I was thrilled when I received my first Gary’s Special project, a Lunar New Year Prosperity Salmon Salad. Lunar New Year is annually celebrated across the globe and welcomes in good fortune and prosperity for the year! Our 15-day new year celebration is a time for family and friends to gather and celebrate our Asian heritage. 

To add to my excitement, 2022 is also my year, the year of the courageous and energetic Tiger! So yes, this project meant a whole lot to me. As soon as I began formulating the recipe, I knew that I needed to get this salmon salad right and authentic as possible to my roots. When thinking about each ingredient that went into the salad, I was sure to choose ones that embodied prosperity. Together, Gary and I crafted a harmonious salad using a blend of fresh and colorful vegetables, umami-packed kimchi, garlicky and spicy sriracha, and fragrant spices. As soon as we tasted our vibrant creation, we knew that it would be a celebratory hit! 

The Prosperity Toss

The prosperity salad is a traditional staple for any Lunar New Year spread. This dish typically consists of fresh ingredients and vibrant vegetables including salmon, carrot, radish, ginger, cucumber, pepper, shallots, and more! Together, family and friends will gather to toss and mix the prosperity salad which allows us to welcome in our well wishes for the coming year. The higher we toss, the more lucky, happy, and prosperous the year will be.  We drew from these ideas of togetherness and vibrant vegetables which transpired into the development for our Gary’s Special – Prosperity Salmon Salad.

Bringing New Year Cheer to the Office

Many of my coworkers here celebrate the Lunar New Year, however, due to the world’s current state, they are not able to visit their families. I decided to do something special and bring a taste of the new year or home to them! I had my colleague Sara Wong (Process Engineer) and myself put together a dumpling and onigiri (rice ball) spread both filled with our Lunar New Year Prosperity Salmon Salad. Regardless of if everyone celebrated the Lunar New Year, everyone was able to find something to enjoy within our New Year’s spread.  

“Spring festival is a huge event! No diet, just food, food and food! I enjoy having hot pot and sweet dumplings with family and friends during the Lunar New Year. This year I am also sharing Acme smoked salmon with friends, which is a great addition to the traditional new year meals! Wishing everyone good luck in the year of the Tiger!”

– Richard Qu, Quality Assurance Manager

“I just made the move to Brooklyn and feeling a little homesick. It really brightened my day and warmed my heart when Holly told me about the Prosperity Salmon Salad she is working on and her plan to make dumping and rice balls with the salmon salad, on the first day of the lunar new year for everyone to enjoy in the office. It’s what I love about working at Acme, the people… the feeling of home away from home for me. Thank you Holly, you have no idea how much it meant to me.”

– Teresa Low, Chief Marketing Officer

“Lunar new year is a time of gathering. Having a variety of food that has special meaning to it brings me joy. One of the common foods we eat for the new year is fish which symbolizes good fortune.”

– Sara Wong, Process Engineer

“Lunar New Year is a time of family gathering. A time each year where everyone joins back to together from all over the world. To me, the New Year’s Eve dinner is a special time where I can celebrate with my family and share our culturally symbolic dishes like longevity noodles and dumplings.”

– Ellen Lee-Allen, Senior Marketing Manager 

It’s the year of the Tiger!

To my fellow Tigers, it’s our year! If you were born in one of these years, get ready to experience the mighty year of Tiger.

Tiger Years: 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022