Stanley Tucci

From award-winning actor and food obsessive Stanley Tucci comes an intimate and charming memoir of life in and out of the kitchen. Stanley Tucci grew up in an Italian American family that spent every night around the kitchen table. He shared the magic of those meals with us in The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table, and now he takes us beyond the savory recipes and into the compelling stories behind them.​ Taste is a reflection on the intersection of food and life, filled with anecdotes about his growing up in Westchester, New York; preparing for and shooting the foodie films Big Night and Julie & Julia; falling in love over dinner; and teaming up with his wife to create meals for a multitude of children. Each morsel of this gastronomic journey through good times and bad, five-star meals and burned dishes, is as heartfelt and delicious as the last. Written with Stanley’s signature wry humor, Taste is for fans of Bill Buford, Gabrielle Hamilton, and Ruth Reichl—and anyone who knows the power of a home-cooked meal.

My Life Through Food

Taste

Laura Dobie

Those happy few who have ever experienced a well-made straight-up, dry Martini will know that after the first sip, one is instantly soothed and the world is set right. Of course, any drink at the end of a working day takes the edge off, but a well-made Martini eases and polishes that edge like no other drink I know. And after the second one, that edge is practically bevelled.

As we waited for our assuredly benign entrées to arrive, we decided that it was not only the brave Allied forces that caused the Germans to pull back. Most likely it was the fear of having to eat andouillette day after day as penance for their brutal conquest of Normandy that also precipitated the Nazi retreat.

After a few moments, I realised that I was moved by Mrs Child not only because she brought back happy boyhood memories of spending time with my mom but also because Julia herself was so genuinely happy to be doing what she was doing. I saw in that moment the embodiment of what I, and so many of us, aspire to. To spend your life doing what you love and doing it well. To achieve this is a rare thing, but for those who can, real joy is theirs, as is the ability to bring that joy to others through their chosen vocation. 

Although Julia Child struggled in early adulthood to find a profession that suited her intellect, curiosity and lust for life, as well as one that would make her happy, she more than made up for it over the years, from the time she made her first omelette to the time she wished us all a final breathy 'Bon appétit!' She also inspired and made millions of people the world over very happy, including a mother and son in Westchester, New York, over fifty years ago.

Of course, this reaction is extreme and completely unfair. How could they possibly know the finer points of pasta/sauce pairings unless they were raised by an Italian or a food freak? However, when this happens, I take a deep breath, quietly suggest a more appropriate coupling next time (although I vow to myself that there will be no next time because I will be present to stop it), and try not to pity them because they were raised by philistines.

Heather

There's a wonderful book called The Great Good Place by Ray Old- enburg. In it he writes about how we have two places that are crucial to us, bome being the first and work being the second. But equally crucial, because it allows us to function better in the first two, is what he calls the third place. These third places' are bars, cafés, and restau- rants. They bring people from all walks of life together and allow for casual interaction with others with whom we don't work and to whom we are not related.

This memoir deepened my adoration for signore Tucci. An easy and enjoyable read. 

Kaitlyn Wendler

Patrick Book

Sohini Roy

i really enjoyed this. i love memoirs and i love food, so nothing is better than a memoir about food. especially when written by mr tucci. his conversational writing style and depth of passion for eating and cooking add to the experience of reading about these fantastic dishes and memories of food.

Edvinas Bartkus

Watch Big Night (1996) before you read the book

tori

“Love can, and does, enter through the mouth.”

Take it easy, Stanley! (Please don’t)

Steve Wood

I enjoyed the childhood memories. Tucci's Italian mother reminded me more than you'd think of my Vietnamese mother-in-law. Skipped all the recipes.

I have this fantasy where I run into Stanley Tucci at a butcher shop and we get to talking and he decides he simply needs me in his life as a dear, dear friend. 

He strikes me as someone who really knows how to enjoy life, and he loves all the right stuff (wine, Negronis, pasta, dinner w friends, etc). His writing is casual and generally scatter brained, which made it all the more endearing. Utterly charming! 

Jacqui Spears

I have this fantasy where I run into Stanley Tucci at a butcher shop and we get to talking and he decides he simply needs me in his life as a dear, dear friend. 

He strikes me as someone who really knows how to enjoy life, and he loves all the right stuff (wine, Negronis, pasta, dinner w friends, etc). His writing is casual and generally scatter brained, which made it all the more endearing. Utterly charming! 

Probably one of the best memoirs I’ve read in a while! Highly recommend!!

Katie Galvin

Loved every piece of this book. A dream read for a food lover!

I’m disappointed with this one! Usually I’m enamored with Stanley Tucci but his charming personality does not come across in his writing. The first couple of chapters about his childhood and the meals his family ate were great; the last chapter or two about dealing with cancer and living with his big family were also really interesting and heart warming. But everything in between felt both long-winded and cut too short. I feel like he spent most of the book complaining that old restaurants never stay open and young people just can’t enjoy the same things anymore—this take shows his age, big time. It comes across as snobby and aloof. Overall a quick read so I’m not too upset about it being a bit disappointing!

Iris

'It's impossible to read this without becoming ravenous!' -- Nigella Lawson 'It is as infectious as it is delicious, as funny as it is insightful. The only reason to put this book down, is to go cook and eat from it' -- Heston Blumenthal From award-winning actor and food obsessive Stanley Tucci comes an intimate and charming memoir of life in and out of the kitchen. Before Stanley Tucci became a household name with The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, and the perfect Negroni, he grew up in an Italian American family that spent every night around the table. He shared the magic of those meals with us in The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table, and now he takes us beyond the recipes and into the stories behind them. Taste is a reflection on the intersection of food and life, filled with anecdotes about growing up in Westchester, New York, preparing for and filming the foodie films Big Night and Julie & Julia, falling in love over dinner, and teaming up with his wife to create conversation-starting meals for their children. Each morsel of this gastronomic journey through good times and bad, five-star meals and burnt dishes, is as heartfelt and delicious as the last. Written with Stanley's signature wry humour and nostalgia, Taste is a heartwarming read that will be irresistible for anyone who knows the power of a home-cooked meal.

Fraser Simons

Very enjoyable. Tucci speaks to you. Would do it again.

Jo M

Fantastic storyteller.  Dry wit, sarcasm and ascerbic comedy.  Also some great recipes!

Francis Buggey

4.5 stars! i think if i read it physically i would have enjoyed it more but listening to stanley tucci narrate his own story was so pleasing 🥲

Emma Hak-Kovacs

I only know Stanley Tucci from his acting roles and his cocktail making videos on instagram. He is as much of a joy on paper as he is on screen. 

Being a very picky eater and keeping to a mostly vegan diet, his descriptions of meats and cheeses did little to inspire my tastes. But reading about his love for food, cooking, and dining still had a resounding connection to my own experiences with food. I loved being let-in on his thoughts and processes, as every thing he talked about was full of humour and feeling. 

Needles to say, if I was invited over for dinner - I wouldn’t have to hesitate in cancelling all my other plans in that very moment.

Taste My Life Through Food

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