Tucci in Italy Is a Love Letter to Food, Heritage, and the Chaos of Carbs (Even If I Mostly Avoid Them)

Let me start with a confession: I don't eat a lot of carbs these days, but I do live with two kids who think spaghetti with meatballs is the only cuisine that matters. So yes, I cook a lot of pasta- while quietly daydreaming about diving headfirst into a bowl of gnocchi drenched in cream and cheese like it's a warm, starchy hug I'm not allowed to have.

I'm Romanian, by the way, which means I come from a country where garlic is a personality trait and everyone's grandmother can cook you into a food coma. But somehow, Italian food still has my whole heart. Don't ask. It's the tomatoes.

So when Tucci in Italy landed on Disney+ and Hulu, I hit play faster than you can say "nonna." Stanley Tucci? In Italy? Eating his way through tiny villages and cheese caves? Yes, please. And I loved it. Not just because it made me want to impulsively book a flight to Florence, but because it reminded me why I still binge food documentaries like they're rom-coms with higher stakes.

Tucci Knows It’s Not Just About the Plate

There are a million shows where people eat things on camera. Most of them are influencers making rainbow dumplings or “reimagining” carbonara by setting it on fire. But Tucci? He’s not here for clicks; he’s here for culture, family, and flavor.
He speaks Italian, knows the customs, and isn’t just asking what’s in the sauce- he’s asking who taught you to make it. His charm isn’t performative. It’s personal. And in every episode, you feel it.

Italy: The Homeland of Flavor (and Misconceptions)

Let’s get this out of the way: Italy is not just the land of pizza and pasta. I mean, yes, pizza and pasta exist- but it’s also tripe sandwiches in Florence, lardo cured in marble caves, and regional dishes that change every 50 kilometers. Tucci doesn’t do the Instagram version of Italy- he does the real one. And it’s messy, heartfelt, and full of context.

As someone who comes from a place where culinary traditions are sacred and often overlooked (ahem Romanian sarmale supremacy), I deeply respect his focus on heritage. Food is more than ingredients. It’s identity. It’s geography. It’s memory. And this series gets that.

So Why Aren’t TikTok Chefs Getting Streaming Shows?

Here’s the thing: There are so many incredible food creators online, but streaming platforms are still giving people like Tucci the big-budget travel-doc treatment, and that’s not a bad thing. Making a viral cooking video is one thing. Building an emotional, cultural, and historical narrative around food that resonates across generations? That’s a whole different sauce.

Tucci brings heritage, language, storytelling, and, yes, celebrity polish. While we should absolutely be making space for diverse, new voices in the food world, there’s also something grounding about watching someone who knows the language, respects the customs, and doesn’t call Parmesan “parm.”

Final Bite

Tucci in Italy is a reminder that good food and good stories come from the same place: real people, real places, and really, really good cheese.
It’s warm and charming, and it makes you want to call your grandmother or book a ticket to Rome and roll out pasta dough like your life depends on it.

Even if you’re avoiding carbs, you’ll want to binge this one, with a side of emotional damage and a bit of pecorino on top. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.