Cooking Channel serves up some slices with a side of adventure in new series 'Pizza Cuz'

Featuring pizza aficionados Sal Basille and Francis Garcia

Series premiere Monday, May 6

Cooking Channel takes viewers along for a mouth-watering exploration of pizza across the country through the eyes and taste buds of two pizza aficionados in "Pizza Cuz," premiering Monday, May 6, at 9 p.m. Over the course of six episodes, Francis Garcia and Sal Basille, owners of the growing pizza empire Artichoke Basille's Pizza in New York City, travel everywhere the smell of pizza can take them, from San Francisco to Philadelphia, Michigan to Oregon, and in their own backyard of Brooklyn, tasting and discovering everything related to pizza along the way.

Cousins and best friends, Garcia and Basille opened Artichoke Basille's in New York City in 2008. Having gotten their hands into the business early working at their family's restaurant, Basille's in Staten Island, the boys and their pizza shop have made more than a name for themselves in Manhattan. In 2010, the cousins opened up their second Artichoke location in Chelsea, New York City, featuring sit-down dining and expanded menu items. And a third location opened to serve up the legendary slices in what was once the heart of "American Bohemia," Greenwich Village on MacDougal Street.

Their never-ending line of devoted fans includes the likes of Keith Richards and Momofuku's David Chang.

Episodes include:

Monday, May 6, at 9 p.m.

"Masters"

Garcia and Basille meet some of the top pizza masters across the country, as they travel to Portland to devour some house-smoked bacon pizza at Apizza Scholls. And after grabbing wild nettles and sausage slices in Oakland, Garcia and Basille head back to New York City to make their own burrata cheese for an authentic pizza pie.

Premiering Monday, May 13

"Neighborhoods"

Garcia and Basille explore some of America's most legendary neighborhood pizzerias, starting with a venture to Connecticut pizzeria Colony Grill, owned by four childhood friends. In Michigan, Garcia and Basille receive a lesson on the origins of the "Detroit Sicilian" as they visit Buddy's Restaurant Pizzeria, and celebrate a 100-year anniversary in New Jersey, home of the oldest, continuously run pizzeria in the country.

Premiering Monday, May 20

"Dough"

Garcia and Basille discover unique dough recipes and techniques from across the country. The guys start by making "no-knead" dough at their Artichoke Basille's Pizzeria & Bar, then try their hands at a sourdough pizza crust in northern California. The cousins end their trip with a one-of-a-kind cornmeal deep-dish crust at Dove Vivi in Oregon.

Premiering Monday, May 27

"Toppings"

Garcia and Basille find some deliciously different pizza toppings, even getting wet and dirty for some of the ingredients. Whether it's trying deep-fried slices at Forcella in Brooklyn, a simply distinctive focaccia pie at Liguria Bakery in San Francisco, or clam farming in Larkspur for a fresh clams and sopressata combination, the cousins will have their hands full with these mouthwatering toppings.

Premiering Monday, June 3

"Girl Power"

Garcia and Basille visit some of the most successful women in pizza. They begin with Jennifer Stark's and Maureen McNamara's tasty spicy jerk chicken pizza at Amici's Pizza in Michigan. Then in Portland, the Minnick sisters share their salted cod pizza from Lovely's Fifty Fifty. And then the cousins head to Philadelphia, where two mini-moguls, Valerie Safran and Marcie Turner, share a taste of their guanciale and truffled farm egg pizza that has helped them take over an entire city block.

Premiering Monday, June 10

"Unexpected"

The cousins seek out the experimental and unconventional, as Garcia and Basille enjoy Indian tandoori chicken pizza at Zante in San Francisco. And if a delectable wood-fired truffle oil pizza from a tiny food cart in Oregon doesn't sound appealing enough, Garcia and Basille get their taste buds on a smoked brisket, followed by an ice cream-topped slice, in a wacky pizza museum in Philadelphia.