Le Virtù to host Chef Joe Cicala’s annual 10-hour, 40-course La Panarda feast

East Passyunk's Le Virtù has announced plans for this year's annual La Panarda feast, which will include some 40 courses across an epic 10 hours of unique food and drink.

It's all set to start at noon on Sunday, Dec. 6, with Le Virtù currently reporting room for just 30 guests total. The event runs $300 per person, minus tax and gratuity. Le Virtù will be open exclusively to La Panarda attendees that day.

No menu for the event has been announced yet, though chef Joe Cicala said via a statement that a minimum of 20 of the planned dishes will be significantly different from last year's offerings.

At least three, however, will be the same, as they are a requirement for the Abruzzese tradition of La Panarda: braised mutton stew, pasta with lamb ragu, and Ferratelle cookies. It's just simply not a feast without them.

While Le Virtù has been doing its own La Panarda since 2011, the practice itself dates all the way back to the 15th century. Initially designed to reward Abruzzo's working-class inhabitants, the meal is required to have a minimum of 20 courses, though some historically have included more than 100 dishes across several days of eating.

Le Virtù's iteration, in that sense, won't be so tough to get through. Still, though, better start readying your stomach now.