Actor Stanley Tucci has already demonstrated his great range in film and television with his performances in “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Julie & Julia.” Now the Emmy winner has turned his sights towards something near and dear to his heart – Italian cooking.
Tucci is set to star in CNN’s new four-part docuseries, “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.” In the show, Stanley will travel across Italy, discussing the nation’s history of cuisine and as he freely admits, trying every food he can get his hands on!
In Florence, he will look at how it was not only the wealthy, but the peasants who had a huge impact on the cuisine of the city which became the ‘Cradle of the Renaissance.’ He visits Milan and Rome to gain a better understanding of the history, culture and people. He will immerse himself in the history of Sicily and taste firsthand the flavors and sensory experiences that define the island’s famed cuisine. In the four episodes, Stanley will taste every pasta, savor every dish and drink every glass of wine to try to relate to viewers what makes Italy and its cuisine so irresistible.
While this food-centered show may seem like a departure from Tucci’s acting career, the “Hunger Games” star has maintained a love for Italian cuisine his entire life. “I wanted to do this series because I am fascinated by the diversity of Italian cuisine and set out to gain a better understanding of the country’s rich history and culture,” said Tucci “This was a passion project and love letter to the place where my family is from.”
Stanley’s Italian roots run deep; both his parents trace their lineage to Calabria and his family even spent a year living in Florence. In 1996, Tucci even translated his love for cooking to the big screen, co-directing and starring in “Big Night,” a comedy drama about two Italian immigrant brothers from Calabria who start a restaurant in New Jersey. Stanley has also written two cookbooks within the past decade – “The Tucci Cookbook” and “The Tucci Table: Cooking with Family and Friends.” This new venture does not yet have an air date, but it sounds like a mouthwatering concept that readers of the Italian Tribune can really sink their teeth into!
