One Heckuva Lunch Guest

I know Nathan MacKinnon is focused on the task at-hand in Italy, and it makes sense when one considers that this is his first crack at an Olympic medal of any colour in his already well-decorated career. Personally, I would leave the hockey stuff alone for a day or two before the event started because it's Italy where food, culture, and history are all around those who are there! One of the things I really enjoyed while the pandemic raged was Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy TV show that aired on CNN where he visited various regions in Italy to check out the local foods and culture.

Well, NBC caught up with the US women's team sitting down to lunch with Mr. Tucci in Italy as they enjoyed some time away from the rink!
Please note that this segment is owned entirely by NBC for the purpose of their broadcasting, and that all rights belong to NBC when it comes to this segment. Any retranmission or rebroadcast in part or whole requires written consent from NBC, and it may not be reposted with their written consent. That's the legal portion of today's post!

First off, that risotto the group was served looked so good and I am slightly jealous in seeing that. Honestly, though, how cool is that the US five players got to sit with Oscar-winning Stanley Tucci for lunch in Milan, chat hockey, and eat good food? The fact that Tucci would want to be a forward is pretty cool, Stanley's questioning of the Canada-US rivalry was funny, and seeing Tucci get a jersey is pretty awesome! His The Devil Wears Prada reference at the end is funny and relevant since the sequel to that movie is due out this year!

Look, HBIC isn't abandoning its Canadian heritage or pride, but I'd gladly represent the US if I could hang with Stanley Tucci for an hour. The man's a legend on the big screen and he knows good food. I would bet the conversation would lively with many laughs as risotto was consumed. I know he was excited that the women were going to sign his jersey for him, but I'd be wanting him to sign a menu from the restaurant that I could take with me! He's Stanley Tucci!

That being said, it should come as no surprise that the Canadian women's team was carb-loading with pasta and focaccia as the go-to choices for meals. Apparently, though, the idea of pasta as a daily meal isn't the ideal meal for some athletes as they crave a more "homestyle meal", it seems. For the Italian kitchen staff, it seems they're learning from the mistakes that were made in Paris.

For the most part, it seems the food being served in Milan is being praised by the athletes both for taste and for availability. Elisabetta Salvadori, head of food and beverages for the Games, isn't letting that praise go to her or her staff's heads.

"I'm Italian, so I'm a bit superstitious," she told Reuters with a laugh. "But so far we had no major issues. Just a few minor things you expect at the start. Someone asked for oatmeal in the morning. It was already there."

While the risotto that the US women's hockey team and Stanley Tucci enjoyed wasn't on the menu, it seems the food in Italy isn't going to be a reason that anyone comes up short in his or her event. And if the carb-loading is preferred by these athletes, expect Nice, France to import a ton of pasta from Italy for their Olympiad in 2030!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!