Plot Synopsis

First cousins and best friends Sal Basille and Francis Garcia travel across the United States, taking a culinary adventure as they explore the greatest eateries in America. From mom-and-pop joints to legendary establishments, the duo is always on the lookout for great pizza, but now they're searching for all kinds of interesting food -- and meeting the people who create it. In each half-hour episode of PIZZA MASTERS, Sal and Francis explore a different region or city, including: Los Angeles, where they hit up Guisados in East Los Angeles for tacos filled with homemade braises wrapped in fresh corn tortillas, head to Cake Monkey to thank their friend, film exec, and now bakery owner Lisa for arranging an audition for Fran (and to taste her sinfully sweet treats), and journey to the famous food trucks of Abbot Kinney to grab a slice at the Urban Oven; New Mexico, where they start in Vegas -- the one in New Mexico, not Nevada -- for breakfast at a place called Charlie's Spic & Span Bakery & Cafe, set up camp in the desert and look for UFOs while they make a Grilled Pizza and their version of Pork and Beans under the stars, and then reach Roswell for Chef Toddzilla's out-of-this-world Zilla Burger and Cheescake Bombs; Philadelphia, where they are looking for spots to open a new Artichoke Pizza while eating at Ralph's Restaurant -- the oldest family-owned Italian restaurant in the country -- and then heading off to Varallo Bros. Bakery and Tacconelli's Pizzeria; Chicago, where they search for the secrets of the Windy City's deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, Roots Handmade Pizza, and Hoosier Mama's; Cleveland, where they start at the West Side Market to make pizza bagels at Frickaccio's Pizza Market, head over to Sokolowski's University Inn to learn how they make their famous stuffed cabbage and Salisbury steak, and then to the Velvet Tango Room for cocktails; and Staten Island, where Fran has a surprise party planned for Sal's birthday with the whole family coming celebrate, so they start with a special birthday lunch at Sal's favorite Asian restaurant in the city, Xi'an Famous Foods, before heading home for the party. PIZZA MASTERS returned for its 10-episode second season on Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 9pm ET/6pm PT on Cooking Channel. In the new season, Sal and Fran visit a working ranch with hardworking cowboys, judge a pageant contest and search for buried treasure -- just to name a few of their adventures, as they make stops all the way from Rhode Island to Louisiana to Alaska and back again, trying delicious dishes everywhere they go. Season 2 opens with the duo in Miami for a charity golf tournament. While they don't know the first thing about golf, they do know how to find the best eats that Miami has to offer. First up, Thea's Pizzeria, to see how Thea's artichoke pizza compares to their own. Fran and Sal find the best Cuban Sandwich in Miami at David's Cafe Cafecito, and finally, they head to Michael's Genuine for a mouthwatering grouper and a refreshing lychee cocktail to help them unwind after a long day on the links.
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On Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 9pm ET/6pm PT, Cooking Channel premiered the Season 2 finale of PIZZA MASTERS. In the season ender, "Leave Me in St. Louis," Fran discovers that his cousin Sal, being the financially conscious type, has booked them on a connecting flight to Vegas through St. Louis. The only problem is that it is an 8-hour layover. But, there is a method to Sal's madness. He has mapped out iconic eateries in St. Louis to try out, starting with Tiffany's Diner on Rt. 66. This place has been serving up Slingers -- a traditional St. Louis breakfast -- since 1960. Then, the guys head over to Russell's on Macklind to try a unique spin on another classic of the Gateway City -- Gooey Butter Cake. No layover is complete without discovering the local pizza scene, so Sal and Fran head to Frank & Helen's for a slice or two of their famous St. Louis-style pizza and Toasted Ravioli. Turns out, St. Louis is so delicious these pizza masters might just extend their stay.