In a new TV series Pizza Boys, two Welsh pizza chefs set off on an epic adventure across Europe on route to the biggest challenge of their lives: competing in the Pizza World Championships in Parma.
Travelling in their old Italian pizza van ‘Smokey Pete’, best mates Jez Phillips and Ieuz Harry eat and cook their way across the continent sampling some of the best food and culture it has to offer. Their stop offs include San Sebastian, Bordeaux, Monaco, Bardi, Rome and Naples.
Jez said: “It was the ultimate road trip, driving our teeny-tiny van across Europe, eating, drinking and slingin’ pizzas to become World Champions. We had lots of fun making it and hopefully people will have lots of fun watching it!”. Ieuz said: “It was a great trip, watching it back now makes it seem like a different world. We had such a blast and hopefully it will help rekindle people’s sense of adventure ready for a post-covid world”.
Throughout the five part series, Jez and Ieuz meet some of their all-time heroes – godfathers of the pizza-making world who help prepare them for the champs. And they source ingredients from top artisan producers in their quest to create the perfect margherita pizza.
In the first episode, the chefs set off on the first leg of their adventure. After feeding the masses and a mariachi band at their leaving party in Cardiff, the pair pack up Smokey Pete and leave Wales heading for San Sebastian where they visit the Petritegi cider house and get hands on discovering how this speciality of the region is made. After working up a thirst, they’re treated to a three Michelin star standard dinner at one of the city’s top restaurants.
The stakes are high for the duo from Llanelli, but can they pull it out the bag and become world champions?
What’s on
- Wednesday, 17 February
- BBC One Wales, 7.30pm
