Stanley Tucci and Max Tucci may share a last name, but their connection to Italian food has led to some amusing confusion. Stanley, the acclaimed actor, has built a reputation through bestselling books and TV shows celebrating Italian cuisine.
Meanwhile, Max is the global ambassador for New York’s legendary Delmonico’s and the owner of Tucci, a trendy Italian restaurant in Noho.
During a press stop for The Devil Wears Prada 2, Stanley acknowledged Max’s restaurant, joking that while the name is legally his, people often assume it belongs to him.
Meryl Streep playfully suggested that Max should pay Stanley “a little something” since diners might think the restaurant is his.
Max, however, laughed off the idea, telling Page Six that “Meryl needs to mind her business” though he added he’d happily host her, Stanley, and the Prada cast for dinner on the house.
He quipped that only “real celebrities” get to dine with him, a remark seemingly aimed at former Real Housewives of New York City star Sonja Morgan, who was once blacklisted from his restaurant after a dispute over a comped meal.
If Stanley and his co-stars do take Max up on his offer, he’ll need to impress them with risotto a dish Stanley considers the ultimate test of an Italian kitchen.
Speaking at the 92nd Street Y, Stanley explained that risotto is one of the most difficult dishes to master, and a restaurant that can make it well usually excels across the board.
With both Tuccis firmly rooted in the world of Italian food, their playful back-and-forth highlights how their shared name has become a flavorful coincidence.