Hong Kong acting legend Charmaine Sheh, fresh off securing her fourth career Best Actress accolade earlier this year, recently stepped into a new role: brand ambassador for a prominent local food company. During the filming of the new advertising campaign, Sheh offered a sweet glimpse into her childhood, highlighting the essential role that specific treats played in her family’s Lunar New Year festivities.
The star, widely celebrated for her memorable performances across classic dramas, explained that the anticipation surrounding the annual holiday centered heavily on her mother’s preparation of celebratory goods. This annual ritual forms the core of her cherished memories of the season.
The Taste of Tradition: Sugar and Cookies
Speaking from the set of the commercial, Sheh highlighted two specific items that were indispensable to her family’s New Year tradition. She emphasized that the ritualistic gathering of festive inventory, known as nian huo, was incomplete without certain confectionery staples.
“As a child, what I looked forward to most during the Lunar New Year was my mother preparing the special supplies,” Sheh recalled. “Among those items, there were always lai see candies [red packet candies]. Separately, my grandmother would invariably gift us a tin of assorted family biscuits.”
For Sheh, these particular treats went beyond mere snacks. They encapsulated the very spirit of the season. She described the “sweet, rich flavors” combined with the auspicious “bright red packaging,” which traditionally symbolizes good fortune and happiness in Chinese culture.
“That amalgamation of sweetness and the good luck represented by the red color—to me, that is the most precious flavor of the New Year,” she concluded.
Cultural Significance Beyond the Screen
Sheh’s remarks shine a light on how shared culinary experiences often anchor family identity and cultural continuity, particularly during major holidays like the Lunar New Year. The memory of the “lai see” candy reflects the traditional exchange of well-wishes and prosperity associated with the red envelopes (lai see or hóngbāo). Similarly, the gift of assorted family biscuits, often packaged in decorative tins, speaks to the tradition of offering esteemed, durable provisions to guests and relatives during the weeks-long celebration.
The endorsement deal marks a natural synergy between the celebrated actress and the brand, leveraging her widespread appeal and her personal connection to traditional, comforting foods. Her status as one of Asia’s most recognized and awarded actresses only adds weight to the campaign, positioning the local food brand within a context of enduring tradition and success.
Having achieved her fourth Best Actress title in early 2026 for her recent television work, solidifying her legendary status, Sheh’s career continues to pivot between demanding dramatic roles and high-profile commercial endorsements, keeping her firmly in the spotlight across the region. Her recent foray into food endorsement serves as a potent reminder that even global stars are deeply connected to the simple, enduring comforts of home and heritage.
