Dominic Sessa stars as young Anthony "Tony" Bourdain in Tony (2026), with Antonio Banderas as his mentor Chef Ciro. The supporting cast includes Emilia Jones as Nancy, Leo Woodall as Sal, and Stavros Halkias as Stavros/Dimitri.
Tony is an A24 biographical drama about 19-year-old Bourdain spending summer 1975 in Provincetown, Massachusetts. He works in a seafood-restaurant kitchen that shapes his life. The story draws on early chapters of Kitchen Confidential, as described by JustJared in its official trailer report.
Table of Contents
- Who plays young Tony Bourdain?
- Who runs the Provincetown kitchen?
- Who plays Nancy and Tony's parents?
- How factual is the story?
Who plays young Tony Bourdain?
Dominic Sessa plays the title role as young Anthony "Tony" Bourdain. He is an aspiring writer turned dishwasher. His chaotic kitchen summer starts his culinary path.
JustJared identifies Sessa as the central figure in its May trailer debut. The film keeps its focus on work, appetite, and ambition. Viewers meet Tony before fame, when a summer job becomes an education.
Who runs the Provincetown kitchen?
Antonio Banderas plays Chef Ciro, also called "Chef" José Vatel. He owns the restaurant that hires Tony. He teaches kitchen discipline, teamwork, and food culture. Food Bible describes Banderas as the mentor who sets the kitchen standard in its trailer breakdown.
Leo Woodall plays Sal, a kitchen worker alongside Tony. Stavros Halkias plays Stavros/Dimitri, another member of the renegade crew. The kitchen group gives Tony his first model of professional cooking. Orders move fast, tempers run hot, and loyalty matters. Those relationships carry much of the summer story.
Who plays Nancy and Tony's parents?
Emilia Jones plays Nancy, Tony's love interest during the Provincetown summer. Her story runs beside the kitchen plot. It shows Tony's life outside service.
Dagmara Domińczyk plays Gladys Sacksman Bourdain, Tony's mother. Rich Sommer plays Pierre Bourdain, Tony's father. Together they frame his family background and early expectations.
How factual is the story?
The film freely dramatizes events inspired by Kitchen Confidential. It is not a strict biography. Character scenes work as drama, not documented history. It was directed by Matt Johnson and co-written by Johnson, Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels and Lou Howe.
It runs 106 minutes and is rated R. It opened limited Aug. 7, 2026 before wide release Aug. 21, 2026.