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With his signature blend of charm, curiosity, and genuine love for food, actor and food connoisseur Stanley Tucci returns with a new culinary journey through Italy in the series Tucci in Italy. The series follows his earlier, highly acclaimed food-travel productions and once again reveals just how deep his connection to Italy and his Italian roots truly is.
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Tucci is of Italian-American heritage and grew up surrounded by the stories, aromas, and flavors of Italian cuisine. His family originates from Calabria, and in this series that personal heritage becomes almost tangible: he travels not as a tourist, but as someone searching for something deeply rooted in his family history.
The temptation of complexity: why we should all make a Timpano
In an age of "quick and easy" cooking, Tucci is a true admirer of culinary difficulty. That philosophy is best embodied in the Timpano, a legendary drum-shaped pasta dish from the village of his ancestors.
It is a dish with such intricate "layers of genius" that Tucci claims only three men in North America truly know the secret of its preparation: his father, his cousin, and himself.
This obsession with effort in the kitchen should be seen as a form of devotion. Whether it is the patient, almost meditative stirring required for a perfect risotto, or bringing a wood-fired pizza oven to exactly the right temperature, it is a rejection of superficiality and proof that success only becomes truly satisfying when it demands effort, patience, or expertise from us.
The first season: Tuscany, Milan, and the mountains of Alto Adige
In the first season, he traveled through several regions that together form a kind of culinary map of Italy. He visited the heart of Tuscany, with stops in Florence and Siena, where tradition and Renaissance culture still strongly resonate in the local cuisine. In Lombardy, he discovered how industrial cities such as Milan possess a surprisingly refined culinary tradition. In the mountainous region of Trentino-Alto Adige, he explores a blend of Italian and Austrian influences, while Abruzzo introduces him to a rougher, more rural Italy where simplicity and tradition remain central. In Lazio, around Rome and the surrounding villages, he examines how city and countryside continue to influence one another in classic regional dishes.
The second season highlights Campania, Sicily, and Le Marche
In the new season, his journey expands further to include Campania — particularly Naples — as well as Sicily, Le Marche, Sardinia, and Veneto. There, he delves deeper into local traditions, forgotten recipes, and the often fierce pride with which Italians defend their regional cuisines.
From May 12, this warm and flavorful journey through Italy will air on National Geographic and will also be available to stream on Disney+. It is not a conventional travel guide, but rather a personal voyage of discovery in which food, identity, and memory constantly intertwine.
