I built my life around paying attention to people, to craft, to the small operators doing the real work. Over two decades of SteamyKitchen.com, three books, years cooking live on television…all of it taught me the same lesson: the people worth knowing are the ones who bet on themselves. The ones who build something from nothing. The ones who show up every day without a safety net.
This section is my running log of those individuals: the risk-takers and the makers who keep Las Vegas interesting. Consider this a field journal from someone who believes small business is the soul of a city…and who loves celebrating the people brave enough to create something of their own.
Josh & Sons — Fresh Chickens
You don’t know chicken until you’ve tasted farm chicken. Josh raises chickens about an hour outside of Vegas at his family farm in Moapa. His birds have flavor, real chicken flavor, the kind most people haven’t tasted in decades. When I ordered ten frozen chickens last month, I realized too late that I had zero space in my freezer. I ended up negotiating with my mom for freezer real estate and paid a two-chicken storage fee. Worth it.
This poultry is juicy, sweet, clean, and deeply…chicken. Not the anonymous, spongy and bland grocery-store profile we’ve all come to accept. This is what happens when birds are genuinely cared for: locally raised, humanely handled, allowed proper feed, proper space, proper life. Stress stays low, flavor stays high. When an animal isn’t pushed to grow unnaturally fast, the meat develops structure, natural sugars, and a depth that shows up instantly in the pan.
Josh’s approach to farming is inspired by the legendary Joel Salatin, a farmer, author, and outspoken advocate for truly sustainable agriculture. Salatin is best known for breaking all the “big ag” rules: he rotates his chickens on pasture in movable pens, letting them feast on fresh grass, seeds, and bugs, while naturally fertilizing the land. There are no overcrowded barns, no assembly-line diets, no feedlot shortcuts. Just sunshine, open fields, and old-school attention to every bird.
This style of farming isn’t about nostalgia…it’s about transparency, animal welfare, and real flavor. By raising and butchering himself in an open, humane, and stress-free method, Josh delivers chickens that are as close to their natural state as possible.
You know who raised your chicken, how it lived, and when it was processed. That alone puts his birds in a completely different category.
Find him on Facebook under “Josh AndSons” and connect in person at the Intuitive Foragers Indoor Farmers Market, every Friday at 200 S Main Street near downtown.
Gung Chae Korean Healthy Kitchen
Came to Town Square to meet my son for lunch. Our intention was ramen, but the place was replaced by Gung Chae Korean Healthy Kitchen. Instead of wandering around looking for a plan B, we walked in and took the gamble.
Owners Dogwhan Park and Jiun Kim set out in 2007 to share their favorite Korean recipes with an American audience. From the outset, authenticity was core: every dish is made from scratch, and the cooks are Korean moms and grandmas, guardians of tradition.
The founders are committed to hiring staff who truly understand the cuisine and culture, ensuring the flavors remain true to heritage. Long-time server Jordan, part of the team for five years, embodies the sense of continuity and connection.
Their Town Square location has a more casual feel, with a streamlined menu, while the two original Gung Chae restaurants remain focused on sit-down dining and a slower, more classic experience.
This is a legitimately family-run Korean kitchen - no gimmicks, no corporate branding pretending to be “Korean-inspired.” On our visit, Jordan pointed out the two Korean elders were in the back doing the real cooking. You taste it in every bite.
I ordered the Galbitang (갈비탕) Stew: three massive short-rib bones, Fred Flintstone cartoon-level huge, slow-simmered. The broth is clean, light, bone-broth-mineral-rich, and clearly built the right way…with time.
If you’re in Town Square and want something comforting, real, and cooked by people who actually know the cuisine, this is the spot. Exactly the kind of place you keep in your rotation once you know it’s there.
Proper Sandwich Company — The Chimichurri Beef
My husband and I walked in expecting a standard sandwich. I walked out questioning every sandwich choice I’ve made this year. How did I not know? Kyle’s Chimichurri Beef isn’t just good, it’s the kind of sandwich that recalibrates your sandwich baseline.
The backstory only makes it better: Three years ago, a then-teenage staffer named Kyle brought the idea to life after seeing a viral chimichurri sandwich on TikTok. With encouragement from Jeff (the Chicago-native GM who runs the place with remarkable hospitality) and Phil (a seasoned sommelier and also a Chicagoan with Strip cred to match), Kyle’s idea quickly became a full team collaboration.
Phil drew on his roots and fine-dining knowledge, insisting on house-roasted, prime-grade beef slow-cooked and seasoned in the style of Chicago’s Italian beef icons like Johnny’s Beef and Portillo’s. He added sautéed mushrooms for extra depth. What began as a staff experiment turned into a menu mainstay: a collision of inspiration, tradition, and restaurant family.
And you can taste every layer: The beef is tender with a slow-built depth that comes from method. The chimichurri snaps through the bite, its bright acidity, sharp herbs, and a clean heat that wakes everything up.
And then there’s the bread. Sourced from our local Pizzeria Monzu, it has that fermented character you can’t counterfeit: crisp structure outside, a slightly tangy, warm give inside. That sourdough bread is the scaffolding that holds together the juicy roast beef, French fries (yes, there’s crispy fries in there!), and drippy aioli.
Here’s my take on why the Kyle’s Chimichurri Beef sandwich is so popular. It hits the 5 S’s: salty, sweet, savory, spicy, sour. When all five show up, it wakes up every taste bud in a single bite. It’s why you keep going back for another before you’ve even finished chewing the last.
I promised myself I’d explore the entire menu, but this one has pull. The Chimichurri Beef is the gravitational center of their lineup.
A proper sandwich in every sense.
