Latest news with #TucciinItaly
New York Post
16-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Long Island spot is only place to in US to get one of Stanley Tucci's favorite Italian BBQ dishes
He's making ends meat. A Long Island culinary artist has exactly what home grillers need for their barbecue to stand out from the rest this summer — a delectable lamb skewer from Italy's Adriatic coast that isn't sold anywhere else stateside. 'I grew up with this stuff,' East Meadow's Tom Conte told The Post of the succulent arrosticini his company, D'Abruzzo — named for the treat's origin in Abruzzo — mass produces nationwide and locally sells cooked at major markets like Smorgasburg in Brooklyn. Advertisement 4 Tommaso Conte, owner of D'Abruzzo Abruzzese Street Food cooks some Lamb and Chicken skewer outside his new facility in Farmingdale, NY Dennis A. Clark 'You have lots of Italian immigrants from Campania and Sicily, but not a lot from Abruzzo, so there wasn't arrosticini here. It just made sense, I had to do it.' The 42-year-old father of three, who has worked in the restaurant business his whole life, took a leap of faith in 2017 and Marco Polo'd the simple skewer over to America. Conte uses the recipe that his father, who came to the US as an 18-year-old from Abruzzo, had been grilling up on wooden sticks for decades. Advertisement 'It's the most typical barbecue in Abruzzo,' he added. 'Everywhere you go, you have it there.' The trick to perfecting the entree that will fill you up in five or so sticks is that less is more, said Conte, who has traveled overseas more than 30 times to hone his craft. They are typically served only with bread and olive oil at restaurants over on the boot, according to Conte. 4 Conte has brought Italian street food to the United States . Dennis A. Clark 'It's the way that we butcher it, all you need to do is add sea salt on top of the grill and it's perfect. No sauces, no marinades, nothing else,' he said of the quick cooking delight prepared on an Italian-made, open-face fornacella grill. Advertisement 'It's really good fat that we use that gets placed between the meat. So when you're grilling, it melts onto the meat and creates almost like a butter flavor. With the saltiness from the sea salt, it really needs nothing else.' While Conte has been spreading the good news at food festivals up and down the East Coast — he has also shipped as far as Hawaii and Venezuela — fellow paisan, Stanley Tucci, recently showcased arrosticini in the Abruzzo episode of his show 'Tucci in Italy.' 'His love for it, all of a sudden, people were just Google searching it all the time. 'Oh my gosh, I can get this in the United States?!' I'm getting emails, calls, and massive orders. It's nuts,' Conte said. Advertisement Things have been going so well lately that he has recently relocated from Westbury to a larger Farmingdale production site. 'Tucci really picked us up with that part of the business.' Sticking to it Even before then, Conte said 'educating' customers on arrosticini was an easy sell due to the rich scent emanating from the grill. 4 Conte uses the recipe that his father had been grilling up on wooden sticks for decades. Tom Conte / D'Abruzzo It quickly took off as consumers not only buy the meat in packs of 26, but also order fornacella grills and special terracotta jars to place atop the outdoor cooker to keep the skewers warm. Conte claims that one obsessed New Jersey customer has three grills, six jars and resupplies weekly. He added that a chicken variant he makes is also a hit in the Chinese community, as several customers purchase the white meat to cook and add their own Asian spices to it. 4 Things have been going so well lately that he has recently relocated from Westbury to a larger Farmingdale production site. Dennis A. Clark Advertisement And not only does Conte have his kids hooked, but neighbors who catch the scent of the wood-fired extravaganza during home barbecues always find themselves popping over. 'I end up sharing with everybody,' he joked. Although he uses wood chips to grill on his specialized fornacella, arrosticini can also be easily cooked on a Weber or standard barbecue for those looking to get started sizzlin' this summer. Advertisement As to what the fuss is about, customers will understand with their first bite, according to the chef. 'You have to try it to understand — and when you do, you will be speechless.'
The Herald Scotland
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
What is the recipe for success at La Vita Glasgow?
There's a strong floral theme with an impressive archway of deep pink roses – along with a large heart of dark red roses flanked by Italian statues and marble bench that screams Instagram and is a real focal point. An imposing central bar area, neon art, and a slate floor featuring beautiful tiles imported from Italy combine to create an interior that combines both contemporary and traditional elements – and stands out from other Italian restaurants in the city. For Mario Arcari, managing director and co-owner with his father, Marco, of La Vita Restaurants, the Barrachnie outlet – the biggest in the six-strong group – fulfils Marco's ambition to have a restaurant in 'all corners of Glasgow'. Marco and his late brother, Tony, who ran fish and chip shops across Glasgow, opened their first La Vita restaurant in Bishopbriggs in 1999 with the business experiencing steady but solid growth since then. 'Dad grew up in Garrowhill, next to Barrachnie, so he always wanted to have a restaurant in this part of the east end,' explains Mario. 'I was nine when Bishopbriggs opened so I grew up in the business, learning from dad and Uncle Tony. I joined the business when I left school at 17 – they were both good teachers. 'Today, it's an equal partnership between me and my father – he's as passionate about the business as he was in the early days. We're both very community-focused and want to offer good food that is affordable in a family-friendly environment with a great atmosphere – all our restaurants sum up that ethos, but each one is individual in its own way.' Says Marco: 'Italian culture is all about family, eating together at the table, having great conversations – all the generations coming together and welcoming friends old and new. Our restaurants are perfect for these gatherings and our staff make everyone welcome and at ease.' While La Vita Barrachnie doesn't have any signature dishes as such, it offers a host of 'long-time favourites' that are always on the menu. Only Italian pasta is used, and all pizzas are stonebaked. 'The family is originally from the Lazio region of Italy, so we incorporate flavours and styles from there and also from Tuscany, Naples etc – but all with our own unique twist,' Mario points out. (Image: La Vita Group) 'We've also introduced our Chip Shop range – favourites from your local chippy that use our own secret batter recipe that goes back to dad and Tony's chip shop days. It's really popular with customers.' Meanwhile, Mario believes that TV cookery shows and other series such as actor Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy travelogues, in which he explores Italy's regional cuisines, and his most recent one – Tucci in Italy on Disney+ – educate people and make them more interested in food and where it comes from. 'I've definitely noticed that our customers are asking more questions about the ingredients we use,' says Mario. 'Years ago, people assumed Italian food was just pizza, pasta, tomatoes, and mozzarella – but there's so much more to it than that. We source all our key ingredients from Italy – our cheese, tomatoes, pizza flour. We're very particular about that.' Much of the kitchen creativity and innovation in La Vita Barrachnie and the group's other restaurants – La Vita Bishopbriggs and George Square, along with Sputini in Byres Road and Gordon Street, and Piccolino e Vino in Newton Mearns – comes from the chefs themselves. For example, Barrachnie houses a dedicated bakery which produces a range of Italian breads and cakes for all six restaurants and is also open to the public. In La Vita Barrachnie, a display cabinet near the entrance tempts customers with its mouthwatering array of Italian strawberry tarts, Neapolitan cakes, fresh Italian cheesecakes, homemade cannoli and much more. (Image: La Vita Group) 'Our head baker Enrico and his team make everything fresh every day – our bread and cakes are another point of difference for us. We also do celebration cakes that you can pre-order to have at your table or collect and take home to enjoy. People often say, 'I've no room for dessert' but when they see our display they soon change their mind.' The La Vita group's recipe for success, adds Mario, has been to expand in a way that is both manageable and sustainable. 'We're very entrepreneurial but it's not a race – that doesn't mean we are any less ambitious, but we like to get everything right which each venue before thinking about the next one. 'We bounced back really well from the pandemic and the fact that we have such a strong following of loyal customers and keep attracting new ones tells us that we've got the formula just right – people like what we do and what we stand for.' That's not to say it's always plain sailing, Mario concedes. 'Hospitality is a tough environment just now,' he says. 'It's not easy for operators, particularly independent, family-owned businesses. But our strength is our staff – we have a great team of both full-time and part-time staff. 'We place huge importance on looking after our people,' Mario adds. 'Our chef in Bishopbriggs has been with us since we opened. We pride ourselves on bringing people on, building their confidence – hospitality is great for that because the whole thing revolves around people. 'Our staff make our business what it is today. We are very proud of them and proud that we are still doing what dad and Tony set out to do all those years ago – great food that is excellent value for money and restaurants that have a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New On Netflix, Disney+, And More: 7 Streaming Shows And Movies To Watch This Week (May 19-25)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The end of May is a bit of a different animal on streaming platforms. It seems like every week in recent memory, we've seen the beginning of some sort of high-profile dramatic series on one streaming platform or another. And while some of those shows are still ongoing, most notably Peacock's Poker Face, there's a bit less 'new' in that regard this week. That's not to say there isn't some absolutely great stuff you won't want to miss. It's just a fairly eclectic list, and while it's unlikely you'll be interested in everything debuting this week, there's almost certain to be at least one thing to check out. Travel shows aren't everybody's cup of tea, but rarely have we seen one that's hosted by somebody as engaging as the great Stanley Tucci. The NatGeo documentary series, also available with a Disney+ subscription, Tucci in Italy, a follow-up to his previous Searching For Italy series, sees the actor explore the nation via its food. Get ready to be very hungry. Brett Favre was once one of the biggest stars in the world of professional football, but as the title suggests, The Fall of Brett Favre will be looking at a different side of the athlete, including alleged off-the-field misdeeds, including a reported mishandling of government money for his own benefit. The first season of Nine Perfect Strangers only got middle-of-the-road reviews, but it clearly did something right as it's back for a second season. A new star-studded cast and a new location form around Nicole Kidman as a guru with some unorthodox methods to help people heal. Late May is prime summer movie season, and while that usually means having to go to a theater, one new film that seems just perfect for this time of year will only be available with an Apple TV+ subscription. Fountain of Youth stars John Krasinski and Natalie Portman as siblings searching for the fabled source of eternal youth. Guy Ritchie directed what feels like the closest thing to National Treasure 3 we're likely to get. It's a good idea in general for horror fans to have a Netflix subscription, and that's especially the case this week. R.L. Stine's Fear Street books have been turned into films three times previously, and each time with solid results. Now, get ready for the fourth installment, Prom Queen. A generation grew up with Pee-wee Herman, but the actor and comedian's untimely death robbed fans of years of fun. A new two-part documentary series, Pee-wee as Himself, available with a Max subscription, will take fans inside the head of Pee-Wee Herman, quite literally, as it will include significant interviews with Paul Reubens made before he passed away. Pamela Anderson was one of the hottest stars of the 1990s, but she came roaring back to the screens last year in The Last Showgirl. Anderson won numerous awards for her portrayal of an aging showgirl, showing just what a great actress she's always been. You can now check out her performance with a Hulu subscription. Next week sees May come to an end and June get started. If nothing else, this will mean a flood of library content hitting most streaming services, so check back here so we can help you make sense of it all.
Express Tribune
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Stanley Tucci explores Italian cuisine in Nat Geo's new series
Stanley Tucci is back with a new five-part series, Tucci in Italy, premiering May 18 on National Geographic and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. The series takes viewers on a culinary journey through Italy, showcasing the country's rich and diverse food culture, one dish at a time. Tucci, an Oscar-nominated actor and passionate home cook, guides audiences through Italy's varied regional cuisines, emphasizing the historical and cultural influences behind each dish. Unlike his previous show, Searching for Italy, this series offers a slower, more in-depth exploration of food and stories, blending National Geographic's signature approach with Tucci's warm storytelling style. The series highlights how Italy's geography and history shape its food. For instance, dishes from Trentino-Alto Adige reflect Austrian influences, while in Calvisano, Tucci indulges in farm-raised sturgeon caviar. Throughout the series, Tucci introduces viewers to lesser-known Italian specialties, such as Florence's traditional lampredotto, a street food made from cow's stomach. Tucci credits his childhood experiences in Florence and his mother's cooking for his love of Italian food. He aims to elevate the understanding of Italian cuisine beyond the typical pasta and pizza, showing its complexity and regional diversity. As an executive producer and host, Tucci focuses the series on the food and the people behind it rather than himself, aiming to inspire viewers to appreciate Italy's culinary heritage and culture.
UPI
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Stanley Tucci hopes new Italian food show offers viewers escapism, inspiration
Stanley Tucci's "Tucci in Italy" premieres Sunday on NatGeo. It will be available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ Monday File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo May 18 (UPI) -- Six-time Emmy-winner Stanley Tucci says his cooking and travel shows have opened up his world and changed his life. His latest docu-series, Tucci in Italy, premieres on National Geographic Sunday, and Hulu and Disney+ on Monday. It follows his previous hit, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, which ran for two seasons on CNN. "it's brought me to places that I never thought I would go to meet people I never thought I'd meet, given me access to places that I wouldn't normally have access to," Tucci, 64, told UPi in a recent Zoom interview. "I'm just learning more and more about the things I'm interested in -- two things -- which are food and Italy." Tucci said Mother Nature dictates when and where the series is filmed as much as his own work schedule and personal life do. Season 1 of Tucci in Italy was shot intermittently over the course of six or seven months. "It has to be carved out very carefully because it takes a lot to plan it and you have to be aware of the seasons," he explained. "If you're going to tell a story about, let's say the Palio [festival] in Tuscany, you have to know when is that happening and what access do you have? How long can you actually stay there? You can't just keep flying over," he added. "You have to plan it out, so you do one or two episodes all at once and then you take a little break because, obviously, you just can't keep shooting that much. It's so tiring and then you have to come home and see your family and stuff like that." Tucci spotlights Italy's culture and beauty by trekking around the country, taking in the sights and tasting amazing food everywhere from Michelin-star restaurants to local holes in the wall. "I want them to enjoy it," Tucci said of the show's viewers. "I want it to be, I suppose, in some ways, a form of escapism, and, yet, at the same time, I want them to understand how complex Italy is, and how diverse it is, and that it isn't just that all the places are sunny and everybody's happy and half the people are Mafiosi," he quipped. Tucci also hopes the series inspires audiences to seek out locally grown, seasonal food and support local eateries to the extent that their means can afford in the locations where they live. "That's what Italy is very good at," he noted. "Contemporary, western societies are becoming less farm-to-table in a lot of ways. Sometimes, the people are fighting to reverse that and, in some places, that's being achieved, but globalization has taken a lot of that away," Tucci said. "So, I think we tried to tell stories that express that, that show the importance of that without being precious." Tucci understands that not everyone has the access to or money for organic fruits, vegetables and meat. "Let's face it. In America, how many people can actually afford organic produce? That's the problem," he said. "We have places where there are just food deserts. People have to drive forever just to go to a grocery store and then is that grocery store really going to have organic food?" The show also emphasizes the social aspects of going out to dine in one's neighborhood or town. "That's very much a part of Italian culture," the actor said. "That's why there are so many restaurants. People love to go to restaurants. A local trattoria is like the hub of the community and it's a really, really important place." Tucci admitted that when he's not working, he loves to stay at home and cook for his wife Felicity Blunt and their kids. "But, after a couple of weeks, I'm like, 'OK, now let's go out,'" he laughed. The show's debut arrives just weeks after Tucci's Vatican-set political thriller, Conclave, saw a resurgence in popularity due to the real-life election of Pope Leo XIV. "It's a movie that came from a beautiful novel by Robert Harris, but it's a movie," Tucci said, emphasizing that the work of fiction should not be seen as an historic record, even if it does shed some light on a mysterious process. "Robert, obviously, did his research and we had a religious adviser on set all the time, so I think it's as true as it can be." Meryl Streep, Ryan Reynolds attend New York screening of Stanley Tucci's 'Final Portrait' Writer and director Stanley Tucci | License Photo
