Planet Vegas by Rick Browne

Rick Browne is the founder, host, and executive producer of the popular Barbecue America television series, which has shown on more than 230 public television stations across the country for seven seasons. He is the author of several publications, including The Greatest BBQ on Earth, The Barbecue America Cookbook, and Barbecue America: A Pilgrimage in Search of America's Best Barbecue. He worked as a photojournalist for 25 years, covering breaking news, celebrities, travel, and culinary issues all over the world. His writing and photographs have appeared in publications such as Time, Newsweek, People, USA Today, Islands, Travel Vacation, Reader's Digest, Sunset, Burda, Bon Appétit, Saveur, Maxim, and Travel & Leisure. He has appeared on Fox & Friends, the TODAY show, Live with Regis & Kelly, and CNN, among others. A citizen of the United States who has become a naturalized citizen of the United States.

He spent the past eight years researching barbecue across North America and 125 countries around the world, visiting and interviewing hundreds of pitmasters and backyard barbecue fans for his books and television series. He was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the Canadian Barbecue Smokers Association, The Society of American Travel Writers, the National Barbecue Association, the International Bar-B-Que Cookers Association, the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the World Barbecue Association, and the California Barbecue Association, as well as a founding member of the California Barbecue Association. He resides in Ridgefield, Washington.