Ixta Belfrage to bring Italian-inspired pop-up and new menu to London’s Carousel
Chef and author Ixta Belfrage will host a two-night pop-up dining event in London on 24th and 25th June 2025, unveiling her new Journey Through Italy menu. The event, held at Carousel on Charlotte Street, is a collaboration with Italian beer brand Peroni Nastro Azzurro and celebrates both Belfrage’s culinary experiences across Italy and a national competition offering luxury trips to Italian destinations.
The Journey Through Italy menu draws inspiration from five Italian regions—Tuscany, Venice, Rome, Sardinia, and Capri—each represented through a dedicated dish. Belfrage, who spent her childhood in Tuscany and has travelled extensively throughout Italy, has created a five-course menu that reimagines traditional Italian recipes with her own distinctive approach. Dishes include Porcini & Habanero Lasagne from Tuscany, Insalata Caprese from Capri, Venetian cicchetti, Vongole from Sardinia, and a Roman crostata, all paired with Peroni Nastro Azzurro.
The initiative coincides with the launch of a national competition by Peroni Nastro Azzurro and travel company Secret Escapes, giving participants the chance to win luxury holidays to the five Italian locations featured in the menu. The collaboration also aims to highlight the strong connection between food, drink, and travel memories, as revealed by new research commissioned by Peroni Nastro Azzurro. According to a survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted by Censuswide, 72% of respondents said that taste and smell are the strongest triggers for holiday memories, with food and drink cited as more memorable than excursions, weather, or local culture. Italy was identified as the country most associated with great food and is considered the most memorable holiday destination by 16% of those surveyed. Rome emerged as the top Italian city for food, particularly among younger respondents.
Belfrage said of her new menu: “My childhood in Tuscany and travels through Italy have shaped who I am today, so when Peroni Nastro Azzurro invited me to create a menu around these journeys, it was an incredible opportunity to revisit some of the places and dishes which have inspired me and put my own twist on them. I have enjoyed many meals accompanied by a crisp Peroni Nastro Azzurro and my menu reflects some of these memorable moments – I can’t wait for people to enjoy them!”
The recipes and accompanying stories will also be made available online for those unable to attend the event, allowing food enthusiasts to recreate the dishes at home.
Food Desk
Tickets for the pop-up are free and can be reserved from the Eventbrite dedicated page here. For more information on Ixta Belfrage, visit her website here.
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