Chef Neal Corman shares his love of music, European cheese and barbecue

Neal Corman got his start in the food industry at a family-run restaurant and catering company in New York. He later led Shaw’s Crab House in Chicago and served as culinary vice president of the Weber Grill Restaurants. Today, he is the corporate executive chef of The Alicart Restaurant Group, which recently opened Virgil’s Real BBQ at The Linq Promenade on the Strip.

Review-Journal: Always in your fridge?

Chef Neal Corman: A lot of water and also, because I run a barbecue restaurant, something that’s smoked — smoked fish like trout or salmon, or pheasant or duck. I love what I do, but it’s different when you’re home because you’re not in the environment where everything smells like smoke.

RJ: Currently obsessed with?

Corman: I kind of hunker down to simple foods, making a lot of stuff that’s more traditional, more simple, like red beans and rice. Stuff that goes well on a cold day.

RJ: Favorite indulgence?

Corman: When I really want to indulge, I’m a huge cheesehead. I kind of dig deep in a lot of European cheeses.

RJ: I never eat …

Corman: What’s up with fruitcake? I didn’t understand it when I was little; I still don’t understand it.

RJ: Favorite brunch at home?

Corman: I don’t really eat brunch. If I’m home, I wake up and go to the gym and come back and have a protein drink.

RJ: Best tip for home cooks?

Corman: If you’re following a recipe, follow the recipe. But if you make something at home that you’re familiar with, don’t be constrained by a recipe someone else likes. Use some creativity and trust your instincts as a cook. The more you cook at home, the more you can enjoy cooking.

RJ: What are you working on?

Corman: I just spent a month opening the (Las Vegas ) restaurant. Virgil’s has been in Times Square (in New York) since ‘94. We developed a regional menu from all over the United States. We’re working on really keeping the integrity with what we do, but making it relevant to that area.

RJ: Barbecue restaurants tend to come and go in Las Vegas, and we’re riding a wave of them right now. Why do you think that is? And how is Virgil’s different?

Corman: The country’s riding a wave of barbecue because it’s the latest comfort food that goes around. Everybody went through a burger craze; now it’s barbecue. We’ve been doing this for 22 years. I think we really represent the regions that we do really well. Every three hours we have chicken, every five hours I have ribs coming out. Every 12 to 14 hours we have briskets coming out. Every 20 minutes I have corn bread and biscuits coming out of the bakery. Every 20 minutes we have a new pan of mac and cheese coming out. We really are committed to doing fresh stuff.

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