NEED TO KNOW
Stanley Tucci explores five new regions in Italy, including Sicily, Sardinia and Veneto, in season 2 of Tucci in Italy
The series highlights unique culinary traditions like the origins of tiramisù origins in Veneto and fresh seafood on Tavolara Island
Season 2 premieres May 11 on National Geographic and streams May 12 on Disney+ and Hulu
Stanley Tucci is returning to the country he loves for season 2 of Tucci in Italy.
In PEOPLE’s exclusive first look at the National Geographic travel and food series, the 65-year-old actor reveals that he’s visiting five new regions across Italy — Naples and Campania, Sicily, Le Marche, Sardinia, and Veneto — as he continues “to trace the link between Italy’s historical landscape and its culinary traditions,” the network said in a press release.
That even means going to the world’s smallest kingdom on Tavolara Island, which is ruled by the Bertoleoni family. The king, Antonio, also owns the restaurant Da Tonino, which is known for its fresh seafood paired with Sardinian wines.
In season 2, the Devil Wears Prada 2 star also visits Le Marche, a lesser-known destination located in central Italy along the Adriatic coast that has largely been overlooked by international tourists; Naples, where “he celebrates a once-forgotten vine grape;” and Veneto, where tiramisù is said to have been invented by the wife of a Treviso-based restaurant owner in 1969.
“In Italy, food is never just food. It’s memory, identity and, sometimes, a full-blown argument,” Tucci said of the experience of connecting food with culture in the country.
Stanley Tucci in Procida, Italy on season 2 of ‘Tucci in Italy’
Credit: Matt Holyoak/National Geographic
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
He added, “This season, we explore how the past continues to shape the present, one region and one extraordinary meal at a time. I’m so pleased to share these captivating stories and these wonderful people with you.”
While speaking to PEOPLE in May 2025 about the series, he explained that “the one thing about Italy that is really interesting — and it’s not something that we have, really, in America much anymore — is that each region, and each part of each region, will use ingredients that are indigenous specifically to them.”
The show, meanwhile, fulfills a lifelong passion for the actor. During his conversation with PEOPLE, he shared how his love of food became a major part of his life’s work.
“I grew up in a family that really put great import on food, so that it started there,” Tucci explained. “I grew up in an Italian-American family, but then I lived in Florence when I was a kid, so I became really interested in the culture of Italy when I was younger, and I’ve always felt that way since.”
Tucci in Italy, National Geographic’s Emmy-winning series, will return with season 2 on the network starting May 11 at 9 p.m. ET. All episodes will be available to stream May 12 on Disney+ and Hulu.
Read the original article on People
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
