Stanley Tucci Tastes Cow Stomach and Other Surprising Italian Classics in His New Show

Published on May 22, 2025

While he doesn’t call himself a chef, Stanley Tucci is known for his love of Italian food and culture. The acclaimed actor has taken viewers on mouthwatering culinary tours of the idyllic country on television, and he's written cookbooks and memoirs about his own eating journey—much of it defined by his own roots.

After his CNN show Searching for Italy was canceled in 2022, fans have been hoping for his return—and the wait is finally over. This time, he's going far beyond pasta and pizza.

About Tucci in Italy

Follow Tucci as he takes a deep dive into Italian cuisine: Aptly named Tucci in Italy, the National Geographic series follows him across different regions as he tries exciting traditional dishes and learns about the story and people behind each one. Putting a quintessential Nat Geo spin on Searching for Italy, this time Tucci opts for classic spots and foods that have gone overlooked—ones you wouldn’t find on a typical travel show or tourist hot-spot list.

Throughout the season, he explores a wide range of Italian recipes, aiming to highlight the differences and look at the history and culture through a regional lens. To fully delve into it, each episode is deliciously slow-paced and focuses on creating an immersive experience, allowing him to show you parts of the country you've never seen before.

Tucci In Italy Sneak Peek: Florentine Street Food Hidden Gems

During the first episode (which premiered May 18), Tucci got the chance to try a Florence street food classic: lampredotto. This dish uses meat from the fourth stomach of a cow, a tender and rich cut, and it's often served as a sandwich.

You learn that historically, lampredotto was eaten by working-class Italians who could afford less desirable parts of the cow, like the stomach. Today, it’s considered a Florentine delicacy by many—including Tucci. He enjoyed the meat in the traditional sandwich form, bread soaked in broth and served with tomato sauce.

How to Watch Tucci In Italy

Tucci in Italy features five episodes total. The first two, which show him eating his way through Tuscany and Lombardy, aired on National Geographic on May 18. The next three will premiere on May 25, June 1, and June 8 at 8/7c. All episodes are available to stream now on Disney+ and Hulu, according to ABC.