Stanley Tucci returns to Calabria, the land of his ancestors, for a journey rooted in memory, family, and tradition. From mountain villages to coastal kitchens, he rediscovers a region where food tells the story of resilience.
Heat and Heritage: Calabria’s Complexity
Calabria is one of Italy’s most underappreciated regions. It’s rich in coastline, culture, and contradiction. The region is bordered by three seas and backed by the Aspromonte Mountains. It’s a land shaped by isolation and emigration. Rocky soil and poverty once defined its cuisine.
In towns like Marzi, Tropea, Scilla, and Martone, Tucci is not just traveling. He is returning to revisit his family’s past. He experiences the warmth that still defines the Calabrian table. This is a place where food stays rooted in the land, where red onions are sweetened by coastal soil, and where swordfish ragù and goat stew still speak of survival.
Despite economic hardship and the looming shadow of the ‘ndrangheta, Calabrians continue to serve meals with heart and memory. Tucci’s personal story shows how identity, place, and food are deeply connected. These flavors persist through time, migration, and change.
Bites of Calabria: What Tucci Eats
House of Tucci
Stanley Tucci returns to Marzi, his father’s ancestral village, where the roots of the Tucci surname run deep in the narrow, cobbled streets of this hilltop community.
Places & Dishes:
- Panificio Cuti – A traditional bakery in Marzi where Tucci samples Calabrian rustic breads, including a warm, filled bread bowl called Morzello, made with cime di rapa (broccoli rabe), a bitter leafy green native to southern Italy.
Roots Run Deep
Tucci visits Tropea, known as Calabria’s crown jewel, celebrated for its stunning coast and sandy soil that yields the famous Tropea red onion, a local staple known for its sweet, delicate flavor.
Places & Dishes:
- Azienda Agricola Fratelli Morello – A family-run onion farm where Tucci talks with farmer Michele Pugliese about how the sandy soil and coastal climate produce the region’s signature sweet red onions.
- Osteria della Cipolla Rossa – Assaggi di Povertà – Also called the Red Onion Inn, run by Romana, Michele’s wife and chef. They prepare Tropea Red Onion Spaghetti, a simple yet sublime pasta dish highlighting the local onion.
A Rock and a Hard Place
Stanley explores Scilla, the dramatic coastal town perched at the tip of Italy’s “boot” and famed in Greek mythology as the home of the sea monster Scylla, which, along with Charybdis, made the Strait of Messina perilous for sailors.
Places & Dishes:
- Calabrian Fish Auction – A bustling seafood market in Scilla where Tucci watches fresh swordfish and other local catch brought in daily.
- The Prince of Scilla (Il Principe di Scilla)– A seafood restaurant where he enjoys Scialatielli alla Ghiotta, long, thin pasta strands served in a rich swordfish ragù.
Magic Mountain
Tucci ventures into the rugged Aspromonte Mountains, the natural backbone of Calabria. They divide the region between the Ionian and Tyrrhenian coasts. After wildfires swept through in 2021, locals had to adapt their way of life and reconnect with the rhythms of the land.
Places & Dishes:
- Qafiz – a Michelin‑starred mountain restaurant founded by Chef Nino Rossi, Tucci tries a dessert called “New Life After the Fire.” Made with charcoal powder and foraged ingredients, it reflects both devastation and regeneration—turning ash into art.
Seeds of Change
In Martone, a small town long impacted by the ‘ndrangheta, Tucci meets Annalisa, a farmer and activist who believes food can challenge oppression and rebuild community. Together, they visit a restaurant that resisted mafia threats and chose courage over silence.
Places & Dishes:
- La Collinetta – A restaurant whose owners faced down mafia extortion and reclaimed their place in the town’s life. Here, Tucci shares an Ancient Greek-style lamb, slow-cooked in clay. It’s a powerful reminder that food can be a powerful tool for social change.
A Feast to Remember
Finally, Tucci arrives in Cittanova, where his grandfather first visited family in 1973. He returns with his parents, keeping a promise made long ago. Warmth, laughter, and tradition greet them at the table.
Places & Dishes:
- Family home in Cittanova – A heartfelt family reunion where they share Stockfish Cittanova-style, zeppole (fried dough made with potato and flour), and roasted goat. Tucci reflects: “Food we enjoy together strengthens the bonds we will share together.”
Beyond the Plate: Reflections on Calabria
Calabria sits at the very tip of Italy’s boot. It’s surrounded on three sides by sea and backed by the wild Aspromonte mountains. Migration and resilience have defined this region, along with generations of resourcefulness. Though economically poor, it offers something far more enduring: generosity of spirit.
Watching Stanley Tucci return to his ancestral home with his parents, what stood out most wasn’t just the food. It was the warmth. In each village, people welcomed them not as outsiders—but as family. Locals made the dishes with simple, humble ingredients and prepared them with such care that they felt like gifts.
This episode felt like visiting an old family home. It was unpolished, familiar, and full of quiet joy. There’s little luxury here—but an abundance of sincerity. Though this land once endured hardship, its people have made hospitality their richest tradition.
Next Episode Tease
Next up: Tucci heads to Puglia, the sun-soaked heel of Italy’s boot, where olive oil, orecchiette pasta, and whitewashed villages tell the story of a region defined by simplicity, tradition, and coastal beauty.