In 2024, Chinese New Year will be celebrated on the 10th of February, ushering in the second new moon after the winter solstice. Much like the Italians, our friends in the East are known for their rich cultural heritage and traditional celebrations — and each year, China honours one of its twelve zodiac animals, steeped in the folklore of this great nation.
2024 is the Year of the Dragon — and our artisanal chefs at Pasta Evangelists have a few tricks up their sleeves to help ring it in with style… and sauce.
2024: The Year of the Dragon
Each animal in the Chinese Lunar calendar holds unique cultural significance, associated with a dynamic set of personality traits. The dragon is the fifth animal in the 12-year cycle, historically recognised for its — ahem — fiery nature.
As a result, it’s said that those born in the Year of the Dragon are likely to be courageous and fearless leaders, ready to face up to any challenge.
This isn’t a far cry from the symbolism that dragons hold in Italy, either. Dragons feature prominently in its folklore, cast as evil beasts and trick demons that need to be slain to restore peace to the rolling hills of il bel paese.
One of the most famous mythical dragons in Italian culture is Thyrus, the legendary wyvern responsible for besieging Terni, a town in Umbria, in the Middle Ages. Thyrus was eventually slain by a brave knight hailing from the noble House of Cittadini, and the rest, as they say, is history. Nowadays, Terni features the beast in its historic coat of arms, in memory of the local people’s triumph.
So, as we entered the brand new year, our attention turned to the dragon. And this got us thinking: how can we celebrate 2024 in unique Pasta Evangelists style?
As ever, that question has a simple answer: we’ll do it with pasta.
Flight of the Pasta Dragon
On the 9th of February, we’re launching a brand new dish for exclusive ordering via Pasta Evangelists takeaway platforms, including Deliveroo and UberEats.
The dish is none other than our very own Pasta Dragon — the latest innovation from the creative minds of our artisanal chefs. For a limited time, you can dine on this unique filled pasta, meticulously crafted into the shape of a dragon’s tail. What better way to celebrate a brand new year of delicious dining?
The Pasta Evangelists Pasta Dragon is brimming with ricotta and spinach and topped with a generous helping of fiery tomato sauce.
Ring in the new year with Pasta Evangelists
If you’d rather get out of the house for your Chinese New Year celebrations, then you can always join us for a night of pasta-making and revelry.
On Thursday the 8th of February, our talented chefs are running a special one-time pasta-making class at our flagship Pasta Academy in London. Here, budding chefs will enter into the dragon’s den and learn to make our unique Pasta Dragon dish from scratch — melding a delectable combination of fresh pasta, spice and sauce to ring in the new year.
From the moment you step through the door, you’ll be transported to Italy and immersed in a quintessential trattoria experience. Enjoy curated antipasti on arrival, learn how to make the artisanal Pasta Dragon dish, and stay in high spirits as you sip on unlimited prosecco throughout the night.
We spoke to Roberta d’Elia, our Head Chef and high pasta priestess, about our spicy plans to kick off 2024. Here’s what she had to say:
“We’re thrilled to unleash our brand new Pasta Dragon to consumers to celebrate Chinese New Year, the Year of The Dragon. Our most intricate shape to date contains a delicious pasta filling of creamy ricotta and spinach, served with a spicy tomato sauce. For those up for the challenge, book into my special edition Pasta Academy class to try re-creating the dish for yourself!”
Book now to guarantee your place at this one-time-only affair and celebrate the Year of the Dragon in style.
