Chef Natasha Pickowicz Celebrates Lunar New Year With Hot Pot

The cookbook author reflects on the joy of gathering around the hot pot table with family and friends.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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In an adapted excerpt from her new book 'Everyone Hot Pot,' chef and cookbook author Natasha Pickowicz shares how she grew up celebrating Lunar New Year in San Diego with the beloved communal cooking tradition of hot pot. Pickowicz describes the anticipation of the annual hot pot gatherings with her family and the way the ritual has expanded to include new friends over the years.

Why it matters

Hot pot is a centuries-old Chinese cooking method that brings people together around the table, fostering connection and community. As Pickowicz notes, these shared moments of gathering and feasting are especially meaningful in the current times, when many feel isolated. Her essay highlights how food traditions can transcend cultures and create a sense of belonging.

The details

Pickowicz grew up in San Diego, where the cooler 'hot pot weather' was a rare treat. But when Lunar New Year arrived, her family would always bring out the hot pot. The communal cooking method involves rapidly poaching bite-sized ingredients like vegetables, meats, seafood, and tofu in a shared broth. For Pickowicz, hot pot was the strongest tradition in her family, even more so than holidays like Christmas. As an only child, she loved the anticipation of hot pot nights, claiming a seat at the table next to the simmering pot and enjoying the endless platters of ingredients to cook.

  • Pickowicz counted down the days for Lunar New Year to begin, when her family would have hot pot.
  • The Lunar New Year was the one certainty that the hot pot would come out in the Pickowicz household.

The players

Natasha Pickowicz

A chef and cookbook author who grew up celebrating Lunar New Year with hot pot in San Diego.

Li Huai

Pickowicz's mother, an artist born in Beijing who fed her family homey Chinese cooking.

Paul Pickowicz

Pickowicz's father, a New England-born Chinese film historian.

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What they’re saying

“My dad always says that at the hot pot table, you could sit next to a stranger, and by the end of the night they'd be your best friend. Now, more than ever, we need these moments...”

— Natasha Pickowicz (Vogue)

The takeaway

Pickowicz's essay highlights how food traditions like hot pot can bring people together, fostering a sense of community and belonging that is especially meaningful in challenging times. Her love for the ritual has only grown over the years as she introduces new people to the joys of gathering around the hot pot table.