You might know Stanley Tucci as art director Nigel Kipling in The Devil Wears Prada or as Julia Child’s supportive husband in Julie & Julia. But, just like he plays many parts in cinema, he plays many roles in the real world. Apart from being an accomplished actor, producer, writer and even former fashion model, he is a passionate cook and celebrated cookbook author.
Most recently his passion for food took him back to his roots in Italy, where he hosted and produced a six-part series called: Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy – an American travel and food show which premiered on February 14, 2021 on CNN. The series follows Academy Award-nominee Stanley Tucci, who travels around Italy uncovering lesser-known places and exploring their cultures, cuisine and history. The series received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, bagging one for *Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series, and the show was just renewed for a second season.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Tucci acknowledged the influence of another CNN original series, Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. Tucci said: “The show that we are doing is distinctly different than his: I am not nearly as adventurous as Tony was, not nearly. Or as brave. But what he did is open the doors to all of us who were interested in food, and travel, to explore in our own ways.”
Searching for Italy, explores the “history, secrets and delights of the country’s regional cuisines.
The six parts covered Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Rome, Bologna, Milan, Tuscany and Sicily. Tucci interacts with local cooks making the most of the local bounty, goes where few food show hosts have gone before and presents a veritable Italian feast.
Think stuff like a dish made with local wild rabbit on the island of Ischia; a fried pizza; Tucci’s favourite spaghetti and zucchini dish, the spaghetti alla nerano; cream-filled maritozzi buns in Rome; the simple but classic cacio e pepe; a trip to a creamery in Zocca with Chef Massimo Bottura; a divine saffron risotto in Milan; the Bitto Storico Ribelle, a cheese with a 2,000 year history; making Tuscany’s signature dish bistecca alla Fiorentina (beefsteak Florentine style) with olive branches and salt; an exploration of Tuscany’s wine windows; a chickpea flour pancake; and even donkey carpaccio.
From all of us at ACIT, we send a huge congratulations to Stanley Tucci and all the ‘Searching for Italy’ team for winning an Emmy!
*Emmy—TV’s equivalent of the Oscars—this year for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series
You can watch clips from the show right now on CNN here
