Our Chef

ROBERT CORREA JR

Some people learn barbecue from recipes; Robert Correa Jr. earned it one fire at a time. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Robert began learning the craft at age nine, when his father taught him to build and manage a wood fire, select quality meats, and respect the process long before food reached the pit. By twelve, he was cooking chicken over direct wood fire and soon took on brisket, mastering the fundamentals of patience, smoke quality, temperature progression, consistency, and knowing when the meat is finished. He later competed on the barbecue circuit, finishing fourth in chicken and fifth in pork ribs among 70 teams in his final competition, before continuing his career in Lockhart, Texas, the heart of Texas barbecue. There, he cooked 60 to 90 briskets a day; in 2025 alone, he personally cooked approximately 14,800 briskets. Today in Las Vegas, he cooks around 40 briskets daily along with ribs, pork butts, chicken, turkey, sausage, tri-tip, pastrami, and other authentic craft barbecue.

That depth of experience inspired CueCraft Consulting, where Robert shares decades of live-fire knowledge with backyard cooks, aspiring pitmasters, restaurants, caterers, and barbecue professionals. His approach goes beyond recipes, teaching fire management, wood selection, trimming, seasoning, smoke profiles, timing, slicing, serving, and the instincts that make exceptional barbecue possible. For Robert, barbecue is about honoring a tradition passed from father to son, respecting the fire, and never compromising on quality. Through CueCraft Consulting, he helps the next generation of pitmasters learn that authentic Texas craft barbecue is not built on shortcuts—it is forged through knowledge, discipline, consistency, and thousands of hours beside a wood-burning pit.