There’s a recurring theme in the second season of Tucci in Italy where someone tells Stanley Tucci he must eat more.
Usually it’s a nonna (grandmother), sometimes it’s a chef, and occasionally it’s an entire family placing more food on the table in spite of his protests.
It reminds me of when I visit my own nonna’s house in Rome; I’m immediately ushered to the dining table and presented with enough pasta, bread and favourite dishes to feed an entire family.
And before I’ve even finished my first plate, I’m encouraged to help myself to seconds.
Such moments are instantly familiar to any Italian, because being Italian means understanding that food is affection, hospitality and identity rolled into one.
Watching the new season of Tucci in Italy, which is released on Disney+ on 12 May, you might find that second portion hard to resist.
The series sees the Devil Wears Prada 2 star travel across the country – from Sicily to Sardinia to northern Italy – exploring regional cooking traditions, local communities and family-run kitchens.
It features plenty of glistening seafood, market produce and local delicacies, alongside Tucci telling the story of a people for whom family and rituals hold communities together.