Stanley Tucci knows a thing or two about Italy.
TUCCI IN ITALY – “Sardinia” – Stanley Tucci in the kitchen of Da Tonino with Giuseppe Bertoleoni, the heir to the throne of Tavolara. He also runs the kitchen. (National Geographic/Matt Holyoak)GIUSEPPE BERTOLEONI, STANLEY TUCCI
The “Easy A” star has been traveling around the European country for years now, first when he moved there as a child, then for a CNN show, and now for his Nat Geo series, “Tucci in Italy.” So his suggestions are to be taken seriously.
Stanley discovers unexpected delights in this wildest of regions, Abruzzo, one he�s never visited before. He stops at an iconic BBQ joint called Ristoro Mucciante and meets food and motor journalist Cristina Bachetti, left and cooks with one of the owners, Rodolfo Mucciante. (credit: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak)
When asked what he would recommend to someone traveling to Italy who could visit only one town and eat one meal, Tucci laughed. “That’s an impossible question to answer, I hope you know that,” he told PauseRewind’s Sabra Satz-Kojis.
Luckily, he tried to answer anyway.
Stanley ventures beyond Rome to Lazio�s less visited countryside, to understand the relationship between ancient metropolis and rural heartland. (credit: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak)
“I would go to Bologna and I would find lasagna bolognese,” he decided.
Stanley discovers unexpected delights in this wildest of regions, Abruzzo, one he�s never visited before. He reveals how the rugged terrain impacts its food and culture. (credit: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak)
However, when it comes to “Tucci in Italy” season two, the Emmy winner is most excited for fans to see a different region. “Le Marche I think is interesting because people don’t know a lot about that region, and it’s an absolutely beautiful region next to Tuscany,” he explained. “But there’s also dishes or stories in each of those regions in this season that are really interesting I think.”
TUCCI IN ITALY – “Naples & Campania” – Stanley Tucci visits the island of Procida. The smallest and least visited of Campania’s three main islands, Procida is roughly 2 miles (3 kilometers) across and home to 10,000 people. (National Geographic/Matt Holyoak)STANLEY TUCCI
According to the press release, in “Tucci in Italy” season 2, “Tucci visits new regions, including Le Marche, a lesser-known destination he’s never featured before. Located in central Italy along the Adriatic coast, the region’s rich culinary delights have largely escaped the attention of international tourists. In Campania and its famed capital, Naples, he celebrates a once-forgotten vine grape, and in Veneto, he deliciously wades into the passionate culinary debate over the origins of tiramisu. Stanley also explores two very different Islands: Sardinia, where he looks into the relationship between food and longevity, and Sicily, where multicultural history has left a delicious mark on its food.”
“Tucci in Italy” season 2 premieres May 11 on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
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