Stanley Tucci wins with his roles, but he also wins with his cooking and his enjoyment of every recipe.

Stanley Tucci, an American actor, writer, film producer, and director, has long been celebrated for his roles in iconic movies such as The Devil Wears Prada, Julie & Julia, In Bruges, Terminal, A Good Day to Die Hard, and The Conclave. This year, he once again proved his cinematic appeal with the sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2. In 2010, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Lovely Bones. His connection to gastronomy began with the film Big Night, in which he not only acted but also served as the chef. Alongside Tony Shalhoub, Tucci portrayed two Italian immigrant brothers striving for success in the culinary world of New Jersey. Another notable film involving food was Julie & Julia, where he played the husband of renowned American chef Julia Child. However, long before these projects, growing up in an interconnected American-Italian family, Tucci enjoyed imaginative home-cooked meals, where family and food were nearly inseparable, and cooking was always a shared endeavor. Tucci's acclaimed travelogue series Searching for Italy, aired on CNN, won two Emmy Awards. Since last year, he has been filming another series for National Geographic titled Tucci in Italy, which has also received an Emmy nomination. Both shows have been available or are available in Croatia on HTV, Gastrochannel 24Kitchen, and the streaming platform Disney+. Renowned for his distinctive deep voice, Tucci is also an author of several cookbooks and books dedicated to food. In 2022, his worldwide bestseller Taste was published in Croatian by Media Bar. A year later, Tucci at the Table, a book focused on cooking with family and friends, was released. The book contains recipes tied to his Italian heritage, as well as dishes influenced by the culinary traditions of his British wife, Felicity Blunt, with a touch of modern American cuisine. From the book, three of his recipes have been selected. Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes For 4 to 6 people Ingredients: 450 g pasta (capellini, linguine, or spaghetti) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 450 g ripe cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tablespoon salt 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for serving Preparation: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Meanwhile, in a 30-cm skillet, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté gently, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned. Then add the cherry tomatoes and increase the heat to maximum. Add the salt and stir thoroughly. Cook for a few minutes, then add the torn basil leaves to infuse the flavor. The tomato juices will emulsify with the oil, creating a sauce. When the pasta and sauce are ready, drain the pasta using a colander and immediately add it to the sauce, mixing everything together, you might need to split the sauce and pasta and do this in two batches. Taste and season further if needed. Place in a serving dish and garnish with additional fresh basil if desired. Serve with a side of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Quinoa Salad with Feta and Pomegranate For 4 as a main course, for 6 as a side Ingredients: 380 g quinoa 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or to taste) coarse sea salt freshly ground black pepper 6 tablespoons pomegranate seeds plus 2 tablespoons for serving 3 tablespoons salted pistachios or pine nuts, toasted 3 young green onions, chopped 110 g feta cheese 1 blood orange, peeled and sliced into rounds (optional) extra virgin olive oil for drizzling (optional) Preparation: Soak the quinoa in cold water to remove bitterness. Each brand varies, so check the packaging instructions. Then rinse thoroughly. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Fold in the pomegranate seeds, toasted nuts, green onions, and crumbled feta. Adjust seasoning if necessary. For serving, arrange the salad on a plate, top with additional pomegranate seeds and drizzle with olive oil if desired. Garnish with blood orange slices for a vibrant finish.