鲜 describes a savory/umami flavor in cooking contexts. 新鲜 (xīnxiān) is the common word for 'fresh' in everyday speech.
culture
The concept of 鲜 (umami/savory freshness) is central to Chinese cuisine — it's considered one of the five essential flavors alongside 酸甜苦辣 (sour, sweet, bitter, spicy).
grammar
Also pronounced xiǎn meaning 'rare/seldom,' as in 鲜为人知 (xiǎn wéi rén zhī, rarely known).
