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■ by Steve Kieva

The Las Vegas Arts District Adds Some Soul Chef Bruce Kalman Opens SoulBelly BBQ

Coming from a very different side of the culinary industry,“barbe cue has been humbling,” says Kalman.“I really wanted to respect the tradition while putting my own spin on my meats.I’m taking a little more of a chef’s approach than a pitmaster’s, though the heart of the industry and culture can still be tasted.” From handcrafted pasta and chicharrón breadcrumbs for the mac

and cheese, to extensive recipe testing for the coleslaw, Kalman dedicated his efforts toward ensuring that each dish on SoulBelly BBQ’s menu was crafted with full fla vor in mind. I had an opportunity to ask Bruce a few questions on my last trip to Las Vegas: What inspired your pursuit of BBQ in the Las Vegas desert? Bruce Kalman: I felt there was a niche to be filled here in Las Vegas and I was just really getting into BBQ.

L ocated on Main St. in Las Vegas’booming 18b arts dis trict, SoulBelly BBQ touts killer creative regional barbecue from the mind of a chef, with a strong emphasis on central Texas. Leaving fine dining Italian

Bruce Kalman

What meats do you find are your specialty as well as what you per sonally look forward to eating? I like experimenting with off cuts like lamb necks, beef shanks, oxtails, etc.Our pork steak with bourbon glaze is really special! What makes your smokers unique? Our smokers were made by, in my opinion,the best builders out there— Mill Scale MetalWorks in Lockhart,TX.They’re huge and beautiful,so we named them Big and Sexy! What are the benefits of smoking meat versus other preparations like grilling, searing, etc. as far as flavor and texture go? With smoking, you are typically working with less expensive cuts of meat,which is why they are cooked low and slow. Anything cooked low and slow will have the time to develop much more flavor, in addition to the delicious flavor that develops from cooking with live fire. It tastes amazing, and it gives a melt-in-your-mouth quality, especially for those fatty cuts like brisket,which is one of our SoulBelly favorites. SoulBelly can’t be mentioned without its strong emphasis on the concert program. Where does the passion come from? I, myself, am a musician, performing in bands for a long time. I remem ber how poorly we would be treated by ownership, so I really wanted to have a music venue where bands love to play and want to come back. We treat the bands very well.We are excited to be working a lot with the local music community, giving them another great stage to play on.

cuisine for American BBQ, James Beard–nominated and Bravo Top Chef favorite Chef Bruce Kalman opened his first LasVegas restaurant with business partner Richard Camarota SoulBelly BBQ, in the heart of the DowntownArts District. Throughout his career,Kalman has gained recognition from James Beard,with a nomination for“Rising Star Chef,”and has appeared on the Food Network to earn a Chopped championship title, Beat Bobby Flay in which he was victorious, as well as on Esquire Network to win Knife Fight . Kalman was also a cheftestant on Bravo’s Top Chef , Season 15, filmed in Colorado, finishing in the top five. He has made appearances on shows such as Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family , CBS’s The Talk , Viceland’s Untitled Action Bronson Show , and Last Call with Carson Daly ,among many others.In his spare time,Chef Kalman is the frontman in the chef cover band, Foie Grock,with fellow chef Duff Goldman, and enjoys spending time with his wife and son. Kalman says,“I came to Las Vegas because a chef friend of mine convinced me it was a great place to start a business.I’ve been so warmly welcomed by the incredible culinary and business community. I want SoulBelly to be something special that celebrates the amazing soul of Las Vegas and its people.”

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