Feast Cookbook Club

Join us for a delicious evening celebrating Stanley Tucci—actor, food lover, and storyteller extraordinaire!

You might know Stanley from his captivating travel series Searching for Italy, where he explored the peninsula's rich history through its remarkable food. Or perhaps you've read his moving memoir Taste, which chronicles his battle with cancer and how it transformed his relationship with cooking and eating. Or just maybe, you remember his iconic 1986 Levi's commercial (where, strangely, you never actually see his legs!).
As an actor, Stanley has stolen our hearts in countless roles—whether as the scene-stealing Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada or Meryl Streep's devoted husband Paul Child in Julie & Julia, But his real-life obsession with food shines brightest in Big Night (1996), which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in alongside Tony Shalhoub and Isabella Rossellini. The film tells the story of two brothers whose struggling Italian restaurant hangs in the balance as they risk everything on one extravagant feast. It's a beautiful meditation on art, compromise, and the hilarious pursuit of culinary perfection.

This event is the perfect companion to Stanley's latest book, What I Ate in One Year (and Related Thoughts).
I can't think of a better way to kick off a year of culinary exploration than with this feast!
Here's how it works: Bring a dish inspired by one of Stanley's cookbooks or recipes online or even your own families treasured recipe. We'll eat together and then settle in to watch Big Night—perfect for a cold January evening.

Feel free to stay for the movie or just come for the potluck. Either way, come hungry!

RESOURCES:
Library Resources:

• The Tucci cookbook : family, friends, and food
• The Tucci Table
• Taste: my life through food (has some recipes but is not a cookbook)

Online Resources

• 10 Recipes from Stanley Tucci’s ‘Searching for Italy’
• Stanley Tucci’s Italian Favorites
• 7 Stanley Tucci Dinner Recipes for Every Night of the Week
• All the Recipes from Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

WHAT TO PACK:
1 Your recipe
2 Your plate, bowl, and silverware
3 Small containers to take home leftovers
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
1 Tables + Chairs + Linen
2 Serving Utensils
3 Non-Alcoholic Beverages + Drinkware
TIPS + IDEAS
1 Go out of your comfort zone. Try a new technique or work with ingredients you've never used before.
2 There's no guarantee your dish will remain HOT by the time we are ready to eat. Consider recipes that not only travel well but can also be served at room temperature. Either way, you're welcome to bring a heating element, crock-pot, or warmer. Check with us first to see if there's an available outlet at the venue.
3 Be sure to read through ALL of the recipe instructions beforehand to make sure you have the proper tools, dishes, and ingredients. (We’ve made that mistake and wound up empty-handed.)
FIRST TIME HERE?
Welcome! Keep reading...
INSTRUCTIONS : How our Cookbook Club works
1 RSVP via Meetup. The event fee (paid online) secures your seat. This automatically removes the cumbersome waitlist and maintains a consistent level of participation. All funds go toward venue rental fees and Meetup costs. If you would prefer to pay in cash, message me and I'll manually add you to the list. Thank you!
2 Get your hands on the cookbook to flip through and pull a recipe. You can ask your library to retrieve it from their network, borrow from a friend, or purchase from a local retailer. If you're in a pinch, let me know, and I'll email you some snapshots of recipes to choose from.
3 Pick at least 1 recipe to make for the event. Note: To avoid recipe duplication, take a moment to check the comments section and see which recipes have already been posted. Just in case, have a backup recipe selected in case your first choice is already taken.
4 In the comments section below (not in the chat box), share which recipe you (and your guests, if any), will be bringing. Please do this at least 48 hours before our event, as we will print menus.
5 Day of the event (or the day before). Prepare your recipe according to the directions provided in the cookbook. As tempting as it might be to alter the recipe or make a substitution, please follow the instructions as closely as possible. This will allow the group to truly experience the author's array of recipes. Note: No need to double the recipe. There will be more than enough food to enjoy!
6 Packing your own place settings is one of the ways we hope to keep costs low. Make your plate, bowl, and silverware part of our story. Tell us about your vintage store finds or your aunt's wedding china you never use. There are endless variety and incredible backstories.
7 Don't forget to bring some small containers to take home leftovers. You'll have the best lunch the following day, guaranteed.

Can’t wait to prepare + share,
Brenda and Jim