Al and Executive Chef Casey Houghton (Lynyrd Skynrd BBQ & Beer), walks us through what it takes to make perfect baby back ribs, beef brisket, and sauces at home. (We only gained 3 pounds after this episode. We consider that a win.)

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Al’s New Horizons
• Guest: Casey Houghton
• How to make perfect BBQ at home

We continue our run of world-class chefs who left a high-profile job at a Strip property to open their own shop. For this episode of Top of the Food Chain, we sweeten things up with author and co-owner of Chocolate & Spice Bakery Megan Romano.

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Vegas Uncork’d revisited
• Guest: Megan Romano

Our good friend (and unbelievably nice guy) Vic Vegas returns to Top of the Food Chain with a peek at what he’s been up to after having appeared on Food Network Star and Chopped All Stars.

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Foie Gras: Should it be illegal
• Guest: Vic Vegas

You think Japanese food in Las Vegas is only sushi? Think again, as the city is going through what can be described as a Japanese food explosion. Al is joined by Martin Koleff, the stylist/consultant behind some of the towns hottest “alternative” Japanese restaurants.

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Guest: Martin Koleff (Restaurant Stylist )
• Types of Japanese Cuisine / Restaurants

Al is joined by Stephen Hopcraft (Executive Chef STK, Food Network’s Chef vs City) on this week’s Top of the Food Chain. Together they discuss the variety of steak highlighting differences from American Select to Japanese Wagyu. They also note flavor contrasts between grass fed and corn fed beef and wrap up by giving us executive chef secrets to cooking a great steak at home.

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Guest: Stephen Hopcraft (Executive Chef, STK )
• Different types of steak
• Flavor profiles of grass and corn fed beef
• Executive Chef secrets to great steak at home

Come listen to a story ’bout a man named Su, workin’ for Robuchon simply wouldn’t do, searched craigslist from dusk to dawn, finally opened Great Bao in a hair salon.

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Guest: Sheridan Sun (Chef/Owner, Great Bao) )
• Working for Robuchon
• Opening Comme Ca
• Going on his own: Great Bao

Al is joined by Amy Byro (Executive Pastry Chef Harrah’s, Flamingo) and together they discuss the inner workings of being a pastry chef for Harrah’s Las Vegas, from creating four-tier wedding cakes in one day and sugar that looks like lace, to making a cake covered in 14k gold!

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Guest: Amy Byro (Executive Pastry Chef Harrah’s, Flamingo) )
• The secrets to being a pastry chef
• Pastry projects you can start at home

Food critic Brock Radke (Las Vegas Weekly) and restaurateur Jolene Mannina join Al to talk about the Las Vegas food scene — where it is, where it’s been, and what to look forward to in the future.

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Guest: Brock Radke (Las Vegas Weekly)
• Guest: Jolene Mannina (dinefine.net)
• What’s what in the Las Vegas food scene

Remember when taking cooking in high school meant enrolling in home economics and getting harassed by your friends? In this episode of Top of the Food Chain, you’ll meet a 16-year-old who will likely be your favorite chef in a few years and is already being recruited by some of the finest restaurants in Las Vegas.

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Las Vegas Review Journal Best of Las Vegas 2012 – Enough Already!!
• Guest: Rick Bools (Silverado High Culinary Team)
• Guest: Gary Fx LaMorte (Michael Mina)
• Guest: Susan Stapleton (Eater.com, Vegas Edition)

On this carb-friendly episode of Top of the Food Chain, we get a master’s look at all things Pasta as we welcome back Geno Bernardo (Executive Chef, NOVE Italiano).

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• James Beard Award; are you kidding me?!?!
• Guest: Geno Bernardo (Executive Chef, NOVE Italiano)
• Pasta, pasta, pasta

The French are well represented as Al walks us through what is arguably the five most extravagant fine dining options in Las Vegas. (This would be a good time to have your American Express Black card handy.)

• Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas!
• Guest: Scott Whitney
• Al’s top 5 restaurants to eat when money is no object
• E
• Twist
• BARMASA
• Guy Savoy
• Robuchon