Beloved Actor Stanley Tucci Will Explore Italy’s Culinary Traditions in CNN Docuseries

February 06, 2020 Admin 0 Comments

Plus, Wuhan noodles have become a symbol of solidarity, and more news to start your day

Stanley Tucci set to star in new culinary documentary series about Italy and food

Internet boyfriend and Big Night star/co-director Stanley Tucci is taking a culinary tour across Italy in CNN’s latest original series, Deadline reports. The upcoming four-part documentary, called Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, will take Tucci to Rome, Sicily, Milan, Florence, and other regions of Italy, where he’ll take a deeper look at the country’s history, culture, and people through food and drink.

Tucci, whose family has roots in the region of Calabria, is a noted fan of Italy and its cuisine. In addition to his aforementioned role in Big Night, a film about two Italian immigrant brothers running a restaurant on the New Jersey Shore, Tucci spent a year living in Florence with his family in the 1970s, and has published his own cookbooks.

“I wanted to do this series because I am fascinated by the diversity of Italian cuisine and set out to gain a better understanding of the country’s rich history and culture,” Tucci told Deadline. “This was a passion project and love letter to the place where my family is from.”

And in other news…

• Grubhub doubled its restaurant options in Q4 of 2019 by adding 150,000 “non-partner” restaurants — which basically means adding menus from restaurants without permission, a questionable tactic that has earned the ire of restaurateurs. [NRN]
• Amid coronavirus panic, Wuhan noodles — fiery hot, springy, coated in toasted sesame paste — have become a symbol of solidarity with the residents of the quarantined city. [Washington Post]
• Lesser-known restaurant brands like Bar Louie are going out of business, as competition to get customers through the door heats up. “There are too many restaurants,” explains one senior restaurant analyst. [Bloomberg News]
• In a weird Valentine’s Day/Birds of Prey promotion, select Burger King stores will give you a free Whopper in exchange for a printed photo of your ex. [Yahoo! Lifestyle]
• In-N-Out made shoes that “look like you’ve shoved your feet into two of its cups.” [Vice]
• The Good Place, in menu form. [Slate]

• All AM Intel Coverage [E]