Stanley Tucci Goes Back To Italy In The Food Show We Didn't Know We Needed
There's no shortage of food travel shows, but few have found their groove quite like Stanley Tucci. The actor-turned-cultural translator has become a kind of internet-approved food dad: stylish, unbothered, and genuinely interested in what's on the plate—and who put it there.
In Tucci in Italy, premiering May 18 on National Geographic, he digs deeper than ever into the relationship between food, place, and identity. It's not about chasing viral dishes or dressing dinner up with overly curated aesthetics. In a moment when a lot of food content leans into soft-focus aspiration—perfect pantries, slow-pour olive oil, and Nara Smith-style serenity—Tucci's approach is refreshingly direct. He's not selling a lifestyle. He's honoring a lineage.
At a time when food shows either lean into chaos (cue the competitions) or aspirational living, Tucci in Italy lands in a quieter, more grounded space. It's not about spectacle—it's about story. And in 2025, that feels like the reset we didn't know we needed. Tucci doesn't just visit cities—he traces the emotional and historical imprint of each dish, anchoring it in lived experience. It's the rare show that satisfies our craving for context as much as our appetite for pasta.
With over 1.3 million Instagram followers and a top 20 ranking on YouGov's list of America's most popular actors, Tucci brings more than charm to the table—he brings trust, taste, and an audience ready to follow him anywhere.
The five-episode series follows Tucci across Tuscany, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Abruzzo, and Lazio. Produced by Tucci's SALT Productions alongside BBC Studios, the series skips the surface-level foodie tour and opts for something more personal.
In Tuscany, where Tucci once lived as a teenager, he samples an unexpected local breakfast, rides out with traditional cowboys, and joins a grand Sienese feast that captures the spirit of the region.
In Lombardy, he explores Italy's industrial engine through a culinary lens—tasting futuristic farm-to-table menus, investigating one of the world's most expensive ingredients, and dining at a rest stop that's anything but average.
Trentino-Alto Adige takes Tucci into new territory: skiing down Alpine slopes, fly fishing glacial rivers, and eating slope-side polenta in a region where Italian and German identities blend in the kitchen.
Abruzzo is rugged and surprising. It's Tucci's first time there, and he leans into the wildness—grilling mutton in sheep country, sharing Sunday lunch with a French twist, and tracing the sugary roots of Italy's iconic confetti almonds.
Finally, in Lazio, Tucci steps outside of Rome to explore the region's rural soul. He tries porchetta from Ariccia, rustic fish soup, and a springtime lamb dish that speaks to a deeper connection between simplicity and seasonality.
Executive producers Stanley Tucci and Lottie Birmingham (SALT Productions), Amanda Lyon and Ben Jessop (BBC Studios), and the National Geographic team back a show that doesn't just travel—it listens.
Tucci in Italy isn't food TV to escape with; it's food TV that brings you home. The series premieres May 18 at 8/7c on National Geographic, with episodes streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
At St. Peter's Fiesta in Gloucester, greasy pole competitors brave fog for a chance at glory
Contestant after contestant ran across the pole — which is greased with lard, fish guts, and oil among other slippery substances. One by one, they all fell, failing their mission to capture a flag planted at the end. That is, until the Advertisement Sunday marked the fifth and final day of St. Peter's Fiesta, a festival honoring Cape Ann's Italian-American fishing heritage. For nearly 100 years, locals and tourists have flooded Gloucester's streets in celebration of the Feast of St. Peter, the patron saint of fisherman, shipbuilders, and sailors. Each evening, revelers gathered for live performances of Italian love songs and covers of Rat Pack crooners. Advertisement Down toward Gloucester's waterfront, street vendors sold treats and children lined up for carnival rides. On Sunday morning, the festivities began with an open-air mass at the flower-strewn altar in St. Peter's Square, followed by a procession. At 3 p.m., spectators gathered for the Blessing of the Fleet, as Catholic clergy offered prayers for the fishing boats bobbing in the harbor. For Gloucester's fishing community, long a Throughout the weekend, crews of 10 rowers, a helmsman, and a coxswain competed in seine boat races, rowing out a half-mile from Pavilion Beach and racing to be the first back to shore. On Sunday, three racing boats — the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria — set off into the fog and returned minutes later, the calls of their coxswains swallowed by the chatter of beach crowds and the low growl of breakers hitting the shoreline. But it was the greasy pole competition, with its odd mystique and can't-look-away sense of danger, that drew the most reaction from the crowd. It is a tradition that creates local Shortly before 5 p.m., a fog bank rolled in from the east, leaving spectators straining to see the pole as it faded in and out of the mist. More than 100 boats floated off of the beach, from inflatable craft with outboard motors, to fishing boats waving American and Italian flags, to kayaks to yachts. As the competition started, the crowd let out a great cheer, and boats let off blasts from their fog horns. Advertisement 'They could be jumping off right now, we wouldn't even know,' said Matthew Vallis, a retiree who lives in Gloucester watching from the beach. The competitors began their journeys, most of which ended in a quick fall. Some plummeted razor straight, others flailed their arms and scissor-kicked. One contestant wobbled out of control, but improbably made it nearly to the flag before falling, the crowd's growing cheer ending in a collective 'aww.' Another slipped and hit the pole hard, drawing a collective grimace of sympathy. Sandy Bartos, 32, was getting food with a friend and their tired, curly-hair dog Luca after spending the day in Rockport when they saw the crowd gathering. After hearing about the competition, they decided to come down to Pavilion Beach and check it out. 'We were told it was the greasy pole contest, and that's tough to beat,' she said. The festival was well-attended throughout the weekend. People of all ages crowded Stacy Avenue, eating ice cream and lobster rolls from food trucks. As the tide receded, kids splashed in the surf. And the harbor, Vallis said, was the most populated he'd ever seen it for the event: 'I've never seen this many boats.' Dan Glaun can be reached at
Hypebeast
an hour ago
- Hypebeast
Willy Chavarria's SS26 Collection Embodies Resistance and Refined Truth
Summary At the iconic Salle Pleyel,Willy Chavarriapresented hisSpring/Summer 2026collection, 'HURON,' a profound meditation on the essence of fashion within a world grappling with uncertainty. This collection serves as a poignant reflection, particularly on the dehumanization of immigrants in the United States, translating a personal journey of resilience and joyful self-expression from Huron, California, to the global stages ofParis Fashion Week. The show opened with a powerful statement: thirty-five men in white t-shirts, a direct collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). This impactful moment drew a stark parallel to the plight of individuals profiled and persecuted without due process in Salvadoran prisons. Chavarria's ethos resonated clearly: 'I'm not interested in luxury as a symbol of privilege. I'm interested in luxury as a symbol of truth in one's own character… Exquisite tailoring and craftsmanship worn to elevate one's personal intent – that's power. That's fashion.' This philosophy permeated each look, meticulously crafted with Italian-milled fabrics exclusive to the brand, glorifying identity through refined tailoring. There is a sense of wearability with this collection that is unisex — from oversized leather blazers and trousers to collared bomber jackets for the city slicker. Continuing the designer's exploration of identity, the collection featured bold colors that center on rebellion, focusing the narrative on elevated tailorings, honoring individual expression and craftsmanship, particularly of immigrants. Reimagining traditional silhouettes, Willy Chavarria utilizes vibrant hues as a subtle nod of rebellion. Challenging traditional tropes with bright shades of red hot, bourdin blue, uniform green and more, the collection was for the individual characters in our society. Taking inspiration from filmmakers like Pedro Almodóvar and Wong Kar-Wai, Willy Chavarria highlights his love for women, creating clothes for the women who dresses for herself and not the male gaze. In menswear, repetition of core silhouettes include oversized double-breasted suits, as well as the introduction of the Chilang men's silhouette which features a softly tailored shape. The designer achieves a lifelong dream of reimagining beloved silhouettes from the Charles Jourdan archives, as well. The collection also unveils adidas Originals x Willy Chavarria's third collaboration that elevates sportswear to everyday statements. Blending performance materials with inventive streetwear aesthetics, the collection also introduces the all-new running model with the Megaride AG and Megaride AG XL. SS26 footwear will also see the release of the Chavarria Superstar.
4 hours ago
Beyoncé's flying car prop tilts mid-air in scary malfunction during ‘Cowboy Carter' tour
Beyoncé experienced a frightening moment during her Cowboy Carter tour stop in Houston, Texas, over the weekend. While performing '16 Carriages' Saturday night in a car prop suspended above the audience, the vehicle suddenly stopped and tilted mid-air, prompting the singer to momentarily pause her performance. 'Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop,' Beyoncé can be heard saying in a video obtained by ABC News, just before the music was cut. 'Thank you for your patience,' she added. The crowd erupted in cheers to show their support as the car was slowly lowered back to the stage. In the video, Beyoncé is seen gripping one of the support cables while suspended in the air. After safely returning to the stage, she finished her performance of '16 Carriages' and addressed the audience. "I wanna thank y'all for loving me," she said. "If ever I fall, I know y'all will catch me." Later that night, Beyoncé's company, Parkwood Entertainment, released a statement via Instagram story confirming the incident. 'Tonight in Houston, at NRG stadium, a technical mishap caused the flying car, a prop Beyoncé uses to circle the stadium, and see her fans up close, to tilt,' the statement read. 'She was quickly lowered and no one was injured. The show continued without incident.' Beyoncé has since shared photos from the concert, including an image of the mishap, writing in the caption, 'I love you, Houston.' The Cowboy Carter tour, in support of Beyoncé's eighth studio album of the same name, kicked off in April at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Following a stop in France, the tour arrived in Houston over the weekend and will continue in Maryland and Georgia before wrapping in Nevada at the end of July.
