Stanley Tucci Returns To Explore Italy’s Hidden Food Stories
Stanley Tucci in the kitchen of Da Tonino with Giuseppe Bertoleoni, the heir to the throne of Tavolara. He also runs the kitchen. (credit: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak)
National Geographic confirms premiere date and African broadcast details
Johannesburg, 16 April 2026: The wait for Stanley Tucci’s acclaimed culinary journey is almost over. TUCCI IN ITALY returns to National Geographic for Season 2 this May, bringing five new episodes that dive into the heart of Italy’s most debated gastronomic traditions. The series is set to air across the African continent on Wednesdays at 18:50 (CAT) beginning 13 May 2026. Viewers can find it on DStv channel 181 or StarTimes channel 220, with South African audiences also able to stream the entire season on Disney+.
Revealing a deeper, more personal journey, the Academy Award® nominee, Emmy®– and Golden Globe®-winning actor Stanley Tucci returns to his beloved Italy, visiting five new regions – Naples and Campania, Sicily, Le Marche, Sardinia, and Veneto – to trace the link between Italy’s historical landscape and its culinary traditions, where the ritual of the shared meal remains the ultimate expression of its people.
“In Italy, food is never just food. It’s memory, identity and, sometimes, a full-blown argument,” said Tucci. “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.”
In Season 2, Tucci visits new regions, including Le Marche, a lesser-known destination he’s never featured before. Located in central Italy along the Adriatic coast, the region’s rich culinary delights have largely escaped the attention of international tourists. In Campania and its famed capital, Naples, he celebrates a once-forgotten vine grape, and in Veneto, he deliciously wades into the passionate culinary debate over the origins of tiramisu.
Stanley also explores two very different Islands: Sardinia, where he looks into the relationship between food and longevity, and Sicily, where multicultural history has left a delicious mark on its food.
(credit: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak)
TUCCI IN ITALY is produced by SALT Productions and BBC Studios. For SALT Productions, Stanley Tucci and Lottie Birmingham are executive producers. For BBC Studios, Amanda Lyon is executive producer, Ben Jessop is co-executive producer, and Alan Holland is head of Specialist Factual Productions. For National Geographic, Yari Lorenzo is executive producer, Bengt Anderson is senior vice president of production, Charlie Parsons is senior vice president of Global Development, and Tom McDonald is executive vice president, National Geographic Content.
