DEAR BENICIANS AND BEYOND,

I’ve been traveling the last three weeks and haven’t slowed down to send you greetings, so I apologize “globally.” Apologizing globally is a term I invented with Le Chef when I get into trouble; it’s like a pardon or forgiveness for things known and not known that I have done. Make sense?

I had plans to write about Mom’s Chicken Fried Steak that was a simple but tasty recipe that incorporated tough round steak, a saucer and a lot of tender pounding, as well as flour, egg and milk dashed with salt and pepper. But then my recent ventures in the Las Vegas area and meeting up with my friend Tony Leitera changed everything.

What Goes On in Vegas Doesn’t Stay in Vegas

I met Tony about a year ago in San Francisco at some food thing. Le Chef and I go to different tastings and food events and I happened to meet Tony. We spoke about cooking and of course I told him Le Chef met Guy Fieri in Disneyland a few years back.

Normally when working in the Henderson / Vegas area, I stay away from downtown. It’s like going to San Francisco — only when you have guests in town. However, I remembered Tony was the executive chef at Guy’s, so, why not pay him a visit?

With a few friends, we took a taxi over to Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen and Bar. I think the hotel is called the Quad Resort & Casino, but honestly they all look the same. Around 7 p.m. we made our way into Guy’s and waited about 20 minutes for a table. Guy’s is famous for burgers loaded with everything and fries. I asked the attendant if Tony was there and to my surprise, he was. I gave her my card and sure enough within a few minutes out walked Tony dressed in his black executive chef jacket. I was very impressed.

Tony took a few minutes and showed me around the kitchen, where he had a staff of 8-9 line chefs and assistants. I asked him a little sheepishly if I could make my own dish and he said of course. Those are “take over words.” The team in the kitchen thought it was funny but I was dead serious. I’m pointing, shouting out dishes and had no idea what I was doing (sort of like in real life). Tony was laughing, but then I got serious.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Guy Fieri is known for his award-winning Mac N’ Cheese Bacon Burger. This won some kind of an award a few years back and it’s the number-one seller on the menu. I told Tony I could make it better. I’m sure no one else out of the 3,000 folks who eat there each week have ever had a similar thought, but I did. I suggested to Tony that a New Mexico green chile is needed, but not your normal flat piece. I suggested to take a chili, slice it lengthwise in 1/4-inch strips and put them in French fry oil for 30 seconds, then remove and drain..

With Tony laughing, my shouting and the line cooks paying no attention, I finally had a partial basket of semi-fried green chile slices on my burger between the cheese and the macaroni. As for my guests, they had a mixture of fries and green chile slices. I named it Ken’s Guy Fieri’s Mac N’ Chile Cheese Burger.

Gotta Git …

But before I go, I will be back in Vegas this week and I’ll make my way over to Tony’s. I don’t know if I’ll be allowed back in the kitchen, but I’ll sure give it another try.

Take care: “Cowboys aren’t a vanishing breed — you just can’t see ’em from the road!” — Baxter Black

Adios!