Stanley Tucci's Last Meal Would Be An Italian Extravaganza

Actor Stanley Tucci became publicly linked with Italian food after directing and starring in 1996's "Big Night," a movie set on the Jersey Shore about two immigrant brothers who run a failing but authentic Italian restaurant. Since then, Tucci has published numerous cookbooks and a food memoir and starred in a food travel series that took the actor back to his Italian roots. So what would a food guru like Tucci choose as his last meal? Unsurprisingly, it's Italian, containing several courses (in true Italian restaurant fashion), and includes wine pairings such as Gaja red wine from Italy's Piedmont region.

First of all, as Tucci told The Guardian, the entire meal would take place by Lake Como. The backdrop would be early autumn, late afternoon, overlooking the lake and the Alps beyond. The meal begins with martinis, and then it's the first course: tagliarini with white truffles and shrimp risotto. That might be a full dinner for most of us, but not Tucci. The next course includes a type of sea bass called branzino (found in the Mediterranean Sea) served with a trio of salads: one cucumber; one tomato; and one made with pea shoots, fresh peas, and mâche. 

But wait. That's only a lead-up to the main course of Florentine steak served with his mother's minestra (vegetable soup) with broad beans. The wine pairing he's selected is perfect: Sassicaia, the original Super Tuscan. Fourth, a cheese board of French goat's cheese with honey and Pienza pecorino (which is different from Parmesan cheese) wraps up the afternoon, complemented with bread, of course. Going way off theme for the finale, he'd end with a Cuban cigar and French Armagnac.

Branzino couldn't be more quintessentially Italian since it's commonly found in the Mediterranean Sea. It's a type of sea bass known as loup de mer in French, and European sea bass throughout the continent. It belongs to a larger group of fish, including other sea bass and grouper types. It's light yet full of omega-3, and with a sweet, buttery flavor, it works well with many side dishes and accoutrements. 

But branzino in Italy is something particular, and in addition to coming straight from the Med, it is traditionally prepared in a way that Stanley Tucci is right to relish. The actor's version of branzino is stuffed with garlic, lemon, and Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and thyme, then roasted whole with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and white wine. It's cooked until the skin is crispy and served with head and tail. Tucci doesn't specify which white wine he'd like with the branzino course, but he lists three whites for the meal: Meursault, a white Burgundy, and two crisp, refreshing Italian wines from Gavi in Piedmont: La Scolca and Villa Sparina, all excellent options for a branzino pairing. 

No one should be surprised that Stanley Tucci has such a well-thought-out, Italian-heavy banquet planned for his theoretical final meal. In 2021, he published his memoir "Taste: My Life Through Food," which delves into his lifelong Italian-based love of food. He later starred in a Primetime Emmy-award-winning travel and food show, CNN's "Searching for Italy," cementing him as an Italian food guru. So a leisurely al fresco meal on Lake Como is right on brand.