The One Dish You Can’t Miss in Every Region of Italy, According to Stanley Tucci

Few actors make versatility look as easy and genuinely fun as Stanley Tucci does. Whether as the tough-loving, and loyal fashion aficionado Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada, the chilling and deeply disturbed George Harvey in The Lovely Bones, or the warm and supportive Paul Child in Julie & Julia, Tucci makes every role feel lived-in and iconic. 

Off-screen, that same effortless charisma follows him to Italy, where his love for regional cooking, local traditions, and long, laughter-filled meals feels less like a dinner party and more like an engaging lesson in history and culture (sprinkled with a little Parmesan). It's this curiosity and appetite for life that turns a simple plate of pasta and slice of pizza into a story that, if anyone were going to tell, it would be Tucci. 

He leans into this love in 2025's Tucci in Italy as he eats his way through Italy, one delicious dish at a time. Talk about la dolce vita!

Let’s join Tucci on a journey through Italy, where each region’s signature dish immerses you in unique culture and culinary heritage.

TUCCI IN ITALY

You might wonder, "Why take food recommendations from an actor?" The truth is, you’re not just listening to an actor; you’re taking advice from a seasoned traveler with deep Italian roots. Tucci’s grandparents were native to Italy, and he spent a year living in Florence and visiting family in Calabria. His mother's Italian cooking and his passion for the country’s culture inspire him to share the “extreme diversity” of Italy with the world. 

That brings us to Tucci in Italy. 

This series is more than just a travel documentary. It's a curiosity-driven voyage into how food reflects identity, history, and human connection. Following the actor across regions like Tuscany, Lombardy, and Lazio, the series explores exactly how local dishes are shaped by the land and the Italians who call it home.

Rather than focusing on famous meals and restaurants, the show highlights the stories behind them, from rustic countryside cooking to inventive culinary traditions, revealing how deeply intertwined cuisine is with culture. 

What makes the series especially profound is Tucci's authenticity, his sense of wonder, and his belief that food has the power to bring people together. As he shared meals with locals and listened to their stories, the show became a celebration of community, traditions, and shared experiences. Each bite opens a window into regional identity, showcasing that, while flavors vary, the joy of gathering around a table to enjoy a good meal is a universal experience.

Light, thoughtful, and friendly (in true Italian fashion), Tucci in Italy paints travel as a culinary canvas, where each meal provides a deeper understanding of people and everything they have to share with the world (give or take a few hearty plates of carbonara). 

TUCCI-APPROVED DISHES IN EVERY ITALIAN REGION

Before he shared the delights and bites of Italy with the world, Tucci revealed his favorite dishes in each Italian region to Fodor's Travel in 2022, many of which are revisited in the 2025 series. 

When in Rome (pun intended), Tucci’s go-to dish is classic carbonara, a Roman specialty he never passes up. Nothing says an evening in Roma like a heaping portion of carbonara. In Florence, an enchanting destination that holds a special place in his heart, the beloved actor indulges in Bistecca Fiorentina. In Bologna? Lasagna Bolognese, of course. And in stylish Milan, Tucci keeps it local with risotto and ossobuco Milanese, a dish that embodies the city's spirit. Down south, where dolce far niente is a way of life, Tucci orders pasta a la Norma in Sicily and seafood pasta with zucchini in Naples. 

FROM THE PLATE TO THE HEART

From twirls of pasta to witnessing the artistry behind Italy’s most cherished recipes, Stanley Tucci reminds us that every meal has its own story worth digging into, fork first, and savoring it to the last bite. In chasing these flavors and experiences, he finds something more significant: connection, tradition, and joy in the human experience, proving that the most meaningful adventures aren’t measured by miles traveled or souvenirs collected, but by the memories we create, the meals we feast on, and the people we share them with.

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