Move over, mooncakes! 🥮 Lion’s head pastries are stealing the spotlight as China’s latest viral food trend, blending lion dance culture with buttery, flaky layers of artisanal pastry. Created by 24-year-old chef Chen Xiaodong, these intricate treats take 4-5 hours to craft—think of it as the culinary equivalent of sculpting a Michelangelo masterpiece… but edible. 🎨✨
Chen’s genius? Transforming the lion dance—a symbol of luck and celebration—into a golden, Instagram-ready dessert. His TikTok-style cooking videos have racked up millions of views, proving that Gen Z craves both cultural heritage and snackable content. 📱💥
In a recent collab with CGTN, Chen even baked the network’s logo onto the pastry’s 'mane'—a playful twist that’s as bold as a lion’s roar. 🎥🔥
Why it matters: This isn’t just baking—it’s edible storytelling. For global foodies and culture buffs, these pastries are a tasty portal into China’s living traditions, remixed for the digital age. 🌏🍴
Reference(s):
Lion's head pastries: An artful blend of culture and cuisine
cgtn.com