INTERVJU / INTERVIEW
STANLEY TUCCI FOR ELEVATE You can’t cry and knead dough at the same time
in such a form for much longer – and that gave me a sense of responsibility as an author. You stated at one point that cooking was a way in which you handle life. What were you referring to? - When I was struggling against the most difficult illness, and in many other tough moments – cooking was the only area in which I could control something. While you mix, chop, fry – life momentarily takes on a structure. And when you cook for others, that structure becomes love. It isn’t thera- py in the classical sense, but it is me- dicinal. You can’t cry and knead dough at the same time – you have to choose one. I always chose dough. You are perceived by many as an elegant figure. Are you just as disciplined in the kitchen? – [laughs] Some people would tell you that I’m a control freak. I like order in the kitchen, but not for the sake of form – rather because of respect. If you appreciate the ingredients and the people for whom you’re cooking, then you want everything to be in your own rhythm. However, I simultaneously leave room for chaos – because some- times the best flavours occur by acci- dent. Just like life, right? What’s this series’ most important message to viewers? - That food isn’t only a question of taste, but also of truth. When you sit to a table with someone, you share more than a meal – you share part of yourself. And that’s something we’re lacking terribly in this world filled with separation and din. My message is: get back to the table. Eat together. Talk. Listen. That’s the best recipe I have. And to conclude – if you had to choose one Italian dish as a symbol of life, what would that be? - Carbonara. Why? It’s simple, but demands attention. It doesn’t have many ingredients, but if you forget one, everything falls apart. And, the most beautiful thing, when it suc- ceeds – no one asks how. They just enjoy it. Just like life.
This famous actor reveals why he chose to return to Italy, how gastronomy saved him in his toughest moments and why he believes food is perhaps the purest form of interpersonal communication
T his American actor, director and author, winner of Gold- en Globes, Emmy Awards and an Oscar nomination, hasn’t won over audienc- es around the world merely with his sub- tle performances in films like The Dev- il Wears Prada or The Hunger Games, but also with his unwavering love for cook- ing. And it is precisely this love of cuisine that’s at the heart of his new documenta- ry series Tucci in Italy, which we’ve been watching on the National Geographic channel since late May. We began this interview for Elevate by asking him why, after such a glamor- ous film career, he chose to shoot a series about food — and to do so in Italy? - It was a return to something I’ve al- ways loved. My family is originally from Italy and I was raised in a house where everything was resolved around the ta- ble – conversations, emotions, conflicts, love. Food wasn’t merely a meal, rather it was a way of life. I made this series as a way of returning to those roots, but al- so as a way of sharing with others what I’ve learned, through food, about culture, people and myself.
The series is really personal, enriched with warmth and empathy. Is that how you imagined going back to your roots? - I believed it would be a nice journey. I didn’t know it would be so emotional. I met people in every city and every lo- cation who revealed more than recipes to me – they spoke about losses, herit- age, family stories. Behind every dish is someone’s history. And then you re- alise that what we eat isn’t just a tasty moment – rather it’s a cultural docu- ment, an emotional legacy. That hit me deeper than I’d thought it would. Did you discover something over the course of filming that truly surprised you – whether gastronomically or personally? - I fell in love with Sicily completely. Its food is like poetry – layered, dra- matic, tender and powerful at the same time. But what surprised me the most was the people’s ability to pre- serve their traditions, even during times of economic and social insecuri- ty. I had the sense that I was witness- ing something that might not exist
30 | Intervju » Interview
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator