At his home in Velletri, the actor and gastronome Ugo Tognazzi loved to gather friends, family, and colleagues, entertaining them with his extravagant theatrics. In preparing those legendary feasts, he would often stroll through his garden in search of artichokes and other seasonal delights; visit his chicken coop for fresh eggs; or reach into the massive family fridge that dominated his kitchen, which he considered the "family chapel."

This book was born out of his passion for food and his experiences as one of the protagonists (along with Michelle Piccoli, Marcello Mastroianni, and Philippe Noiret) of Marco Ferreri's film La grande bouffe.

Between childhood memories, clever culinary recipes, and movie set anecdotes, both happy and sad, the great Ugo teaches us how eating well is one of life's most exquisite pleasures. How could anyone disagree?