Choke Chain Training

I have a 6 month black lab puppy, and he has recently found that he can jump up high enough on the counter to grab down food. He has managed to turn on the hob doing this, therefore setting a chopping board on fire! However last night he pulled down some butter, and my dad got VERY annoyed, it was the widest i'd seen his eyes go. He is very traditional about dog training with choke chains (which he got for our old dog, and granted it did work, but we wont let him with the pup), kicking the pup and as i found out last night rubbing the dogs nose in butter. I shouted slightly, as we have watched and read hundreds of things that have said that it doesn't work.
So the general question is what ideas do you guys have on training techniques. I don't think its necessary (note the shouting) and my parents are being very hypocritical about it. But what IS the best way?