Stanley Tucci Tunes Into Milan-Cortina: NBC’s Prime Time Cook-Alongs Meet the World Stage

Kai Montgomery here, because apparently the Oscars aren’t enough and NBC needs a passport-stamping food guide for Milan-Cortina 2026. Oh great, Stanley Tucci is packing his chef’s apron and his charming Italian lilt for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, because obviously what the world needed was a globetrotting food travelogue wrapped in primetime sport. Yes, you read that right. Tucci announced on Today that he’ll head to Italy in February to help NBC cover the 2026 Winter Games, and he’s bringing a recipe book’s worth of curiosity, culture, and cuisine to prime time. He’s billed as the perfect guide to showcase northern Italy’s culinary and cultural treasures during the Games, all while the world tunes in for ice, speed skating, and gravity-defying tricks on snow.

The official NBC release frames Tucci as more than a talking head. He’s a traveling storyteller who will present travelogue-style segments that spotlight the regions hosting the games. Tucci, whose Italian heritage runs in his bloodstream, has long used food as a passport to culture, and NBC is betting that viewers want the homegrown charm of a man who seems to speak fluent “Italy” in addition to “TV host.” Molly Solomon, NBC Olympics executive producer, even called Tucci a connoisseur of Italian culture with a track record of hit shows and best-selling books, suggesting that his mix of curiosity and storytelling will help American primetime viewers connect with a country that many Americans find irresistibly delicious and endlessly fascinating.

The timing is all about the Worlds colliding in real time. NBC has taken to leveraging celebrity voices in Olympics coverage, following the lead of Paris 2024 where comedians and musicians popped in as part of the broadcast ecosystem. Tucci’s role emphasizes a travelogue approach rather than pure sports commentary; think food, traditions, and the heritage of the hosting regions, all while the games unfold on prime time. The official press materials describe Tucci as the perfect bridge—he can talk cuisine and culture with the same ease that he juggles a pan and a passport. He has previously authored cookbooks and hosted food-centric series, which NBC says makes him a natural fit to “dish on northern Italy’s culinary and cultural treasures.” In other words, viewers should expect more appetite than athletics, more Tuscany than ice rinks, more plate-licking context than play-by-play.

As for the games themselves, the Winter Olympics run from February 6 to February 22, with opening ceremonies broadcast across NBC and Peacock. Tucci’s segments are framed as a complement to the competition, not a replacement for it, offering a palate-forward lens on the regions that are hosting. This isn’t a one-off cameo; NBC is leaning into star power that also reflects American affinity for Italian culture, a trend that’s casual yet potent in primetime television. The idea is to give viewers something extra, something culturally immersive, while still delivering the adrenaline of athletes slicing through air and ice.

What’s the bottom line here? NBC wants to capitalize on Tucci’s cross-cultural pull and culinary credibility to give audiences a fresh, food-forward way to experience the Winter Games. It’s a move that nods to the growing appetite for “culture as coverage” — and yes, the world will be watching to see what foods steal the show and which Italian traditions become the surprise stars of primetime. The question now is: what will Tucci hunt down first in Milan-Cortina, and which iconic dish will become the unofficial Olympic snack?

So, will Tucci’s travelogue-style bite-size episodes become the new gold medal of Olympic broadcasting, or is this just a tasty detour? Stay tuned, because the flavor profile of this coverage might just rewrite how we watch the Olympics in the era of streaming and spice.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and NBC Olympics press release, Today show appearance
Attribution: Guachimontones Jalisco – Esteban Tucci — Esteban Tucci (CC BY-SA 3.0) (OV)