‘Tucci In Italy’ – Review

Stanley Tucci is a treasure of a human being; elegant, eloquent and entertaining in harmonious measure; he’s an incredibly passionate performer of both screen and theatre and one of the most joyously happy creative people working in Hollywood today. His work is measured, fascinating and complex, with new projects sprouting here and there, and he’s always a pleasure to watch.

His passion for the arts is matched equally, or even more so, by his passion for food and cuisine, especially that stemming from his own Italian heritage and now, with National Geographic, he embarks on an incredibly moving documentary to capture the stories and cuisine of his ancestral homeland of Italy in Tucci in Italy. And it is just a real joy to watch.

National Geographic invites audiences on a mouthwatering journey with Academy Award®-nominee and Emmy, and Golden Globe-winner Stanley Tucci in Tucci In Italy. Produced by Tucci’s SALT Productions and BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions, the five-part series follows Tucci across Italy’s stunning landscapes as he explores the deep connections between food, culture and history. More than a travelogue, it’s a rich, narrative-driven dive into the country’s iconic culinary traditions. Along the way, Tucci meets locals, chefs, artisans—and even cowboys—to uncover hidden gems and untold stories with National Geographic’s signature storytelling and his trademark wit. Tucci indulges in a Sienese feast in Tuscany, samples farm-to-table innovation in Lombardy, and rediscovers Lazio’s rustic soul. For the first time, he visits Trentino-Alto Adige for pine needle pesto in the Alps and explores Abruzzo’s wild seafood rituals atop a centuries-old trabocco. This is Italy like you’ve never seen it—flavourful, heartfelt and unforgettable.

In recent years, Stanley Tucci’s passion and love for food and cuisine has become rapidly apparent to the masses everywhere. Not only did he break the internet when he took to Instagram to make the perfect Negroni, but he’s produced two acclaimed food memoirs, 2021’s Tatse and 2024’s recently published What I Ate In One Year, all written with his trademark wit and passion, and showcasing his exuberance for life and the joys of the senses.

Now he teams with National Geographic for an incredibly rich and moving new documentary experience in Tucci In Italy, which follows on from his work showcased in Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy and sees him explore the customs, culture and cuisine of five diverse landscapes across Italy: Tuscany, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Abruzzo and Lazio. And his journey will prime your palette and make you salivate with all he presents.

Tucci explores all of these regions with an open mind, and his genial, gentlemanly persona is fully displayed. Audiences will bask in the joy and happiness that he experiences as he highlights the region, its characters and most importantly, its food. He takes audiences from the height of dining opulence in Michelin starred-restaurants to back alley locally owned family establishments, and even into the very homes of the people he meets where he is welcomed warmly and is treated to a gorgeous array of dishes and specialities from each of the regions. Tucci’s conversations with the people he meets are open, friendly and polished, with intuitiveness to learn about how their food shapes their lives and the national flavour of Italy itself.

Many surprises are in store for audiences, and Stanley’s journey opens him up to many new discoveries that he never previously learnt about Italian cooking, which is very much infused by the landscape in which it is made. The dishes are bountiful, and he looks on with keen interest and devoted love at each new dish and recipe that he is introduced to. But more than that, it is the stories that he comes to witness and the people he meets, and with open interest and empathy, as he listens to with his full heart across his travels, and these moments are certain to warm your heart.

Tucci in Italy offers a comforting escape, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in its tranquil charm. As Stanley Tucci shares his deep passion for food and culture, the series becomes a heartwarming journey that resonates with anyone who appreciates the beauty of culinary experiences and personal connections and is a delightful reminder of the joy that comes from exploring the world around us.

Tucci In Italy is streaming NOW on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures