Instagram Can't Get Enough Of Stanley Tucci's Searching For Italy Sneak Peek

The highly anticipated second season of Stanley Tucci's Emmy-winning travel series "Searching for Italy" premiered on CNN this past Sunday with a trip to Venice, where the Italian American actor sampled produce, strolled along the canals, and learned about the converging culinary influences of the "Floating City." Tucci's fascination for the diverse customs and dishes of his homeland — coupled with the gorgeous scenery captured on the show — has been a recipe for popularity thus far. And fans will get to see the elegant gastronome exploring other regions of the Bel Paese on Sunday nights to come.  

Evidently, Tucci is having just as much fun behind the scenes as he appears to be having on-screen. The actor shared a sneak peek of an upcoming episode on Instagram yesterday, in which he marvels at a bounty of ingredients that sum up the cuisine of the southern coastal region of Puglia. Based on the more than 310,000 likes plus the many positive comments on the post, it seems that many fans love seeing Italy through Tucci's eyes. 

The Instagram video shows Tucci in a dark sweater and shades standing before a table strewn with a plethora of freshly picked green vegetables. He explains that he and his crew are filming in Puglia — a region at the heel of Italy's "boot" that boasts coastlines and farmland — and that he just stumbled upon the display. Even though his team didn't assemble the bounty, he seems to know his way around it. He points out "beautiful fresh peas," fava beans, several kinds of chicory greens, and adorable mini artichokes ("can you even stand it?" he says) on one side. On the other, he spots more chicory, plus "more beautiful beans," spring onion, and a handful of garlic. "We basically have our meal," he says, hinting at a "completely vegetarian" feast "with the exception of a little bit of meat in one of the pastas." 

Many fans who commented praised the veggie-centric snippet of the episode and the series in general. "Can't get enough of this show!!!" exclaimed a viewer, "It's excellent, thanks for transporting me." "Puglia is the region you go to if you want to eat VERY well as a vegetarian," writes one user. The southernmost region is one of the leading produce hubs in Italy, according to a 2018 post by Italian Food News, especially when it comes to table grapes, olives, and "cereal crops" like wheat.