Actor and director Stanley Tucci made headlines after CNN announced his involvement in a new original series devoted to Italy and Italian food, “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.” The four-part series, produced by London-based Raw TV, will cover the regional cuisine of several places. Tuscany and Sicily were mentioned as well as the cities of Florence, Milan and Rome.
In an exclusive interview with Deadline, Stanley called the project a “love letter” to the country where his family comes from. “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,” he said. Tucci shared his enthusiasm for working with CNN, whose ground-breaking documentaries on food include “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.” Tucci said he admired CNN’s reporting and “smart, compelling, and beautifully produced” work.
This is not the first time Tucci has explored his fascination with Italy and the Italian palate. Tucci grew up in a “food-obsessed” Italian American family of Calabrian descent in New York state. His mother’s cooking would move his father so deeply that at the end of a meal he would shake his head and ask, “What does the rest of the world eat?”
Stanley Tucci attends 'Final Portrait' photocall at Hotel Eden on February 5, 2018 in Rome, Italy. (ph Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images)
In 1996, Tucci directed and starred in the foodie classic, “Big Night.” While writing the script, the actor spent nearly two years in an Italian chef’s kitchen, mastering his mannerisms and philosophy on food. The result on screen was a perfect rendition of the soul (and gut) wrenching compromises a young Italian restaurateur made in order to run a profitable business in America.
Since then, Tucci continued making projects on Italian food and cooking. His collaboration with the Italian chef he shadowed, Gianni Scappin, continued. In 2012, he published “The Tucci Cookbook,” tracing the recipes of Scappin’s Northern Italian family and his own. His second cookbook, “The Tucci Table: Cooking with Family and Friends,” came out in 2016.
Stanley Tucci cooking (via IG)
Tucci wrote a touching introduction in his first cookbook, where he confessed to the influence of his family’s food on his life. “...I did not want the recipes that I had grown up with to disappear with the passing of my parents in the years to come. The influence of these dishes has been so significant in shaping who I am that I felt it would be foolish if they were not documented for me, my children, and future generations,” he said.
While the recipes showcased in this upcoming series are not yet known, one thing is certain: the three times Emmy Award winner knows the ingredients for capturing the passion and art of Italians and Italian food.