San Antonio locals and tourists alike will soon be able to experience the authentic flavors of Southern Brazil with the addition of Fogo de Chão to the Riverwalk.
Opening in late August, the original Brazilian steakhouse will bring a unique experience to their downtown guests. The prix-fixe lunch and dinner menu features over 15 succulent cuts of meat, a gourmet salad and sides bar, and an award-winning wine list that will impress both novices and connoisseurs.
For more information on Fogo de Chão please see below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Roxanne Olivarri, 210-826-8899 / 210.535.0212 (mobile)
Jessica Young, 210-826-8899 / 210.287.4975 (mobile)
KGBTexas Public Relations / Advertising
roxanneo@kgbtexas.com / jessicay@kgbtexas.com
FOGO DE CHÃO IS OPENING SOON IN SAN ANTONIO, BRINGING THE AUTHENTIC FLAVORS OF BRAZIL TO THE FAMED RIVER WALK
Award-winning Brazilian steakhouse creates 60 new jobs
SAN ANTONIO, August 4, 2009 – The original flavor and Gaucho hospitality of Southern Brazil arrive on the San Antonio River Walk with the opening of Fogo de Chão – pronounced fo-go dèe shoun – the steakhouse (or churrascaria) that originated in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Fogo de Chão San Antonio will offer guests a singularly-unique dining experience based on “The Gaucho Way of Preparing Meat®,” featuring delectable, fire-roasted meats prepared by authentic, specially-trained Gaucho chefs. Fogo de Chão’s prix-fixe lunch and dinner menu includes impeccable and continuous tableside service of 15 succulent meats, a spectacular gourmet salad and sides bar with over 30 savory items, and a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list.
In addition to the 12 Brazilian-trained chefs that will serve guests at the San Antonio location, Fogo de Chão expects to hire 60 employees locally to staff the new restaurant. The 9,700 square-foot restaurant seats 280 guests, features one semi-private and three private dining rooms and is scheduled to open in Rivercenter Mall at 849 E. Commerce Street in late August 2009.
“We have always considered Texas our second home because it’s where we opened our first Fogo de Chão restaurant in the U.S,” said Jair Coser, who co-founded the company with his brother, Arri, in their native Brazil 30 years ago. “We are confident that San Antonio’s Riverwalk, with its distinctive history and culture, will provide the ideal setting for local guests and visitors alike to experience the unique flavors, traditions, and ambiance of Fogo de Chão.”
The Fogo de Chão dining experience is based on the centuries-old Gaucho tradition, known as churrasco, the Gaucho way of roasting meats over open pits of fire. Operating under the unique service concept of espeto corrido, which translates from Portuguese to “continuous service,” Fogo de Chão’s Brazilian-trained Gaucho chefs present and serve 15 different cuts of meat tableside from roasting skewers. Guests control the pace of their meal by flipping small disks between the green side (more food, please!) and red side (I’m on a break now!).
Fogo de Chão’s service allows guests to sample the entire menu or just focus on their favorite items. In addition to its delicious meat selections, Fogo de Chão is also known for its delectable gourmet salad and sides bar, featuring more than 30 items such as smoked salmon, sun-dried tomatoes, hearts of palm, tabbouleh salad, jumbo asparagus, cured meats, artisan breads and imported cheeses. The restaurant also boasts a drink menu featuring authentic Brazilian beverages like the Caipirinha and an award winning, 200-plus label fine wine list that includes excellent domestic and international varietals. To complete their experience, guests are invited to complement their meal with one of Fogo de Chão’s decadent desserts, including the restaurant’s signature Papaya Cream.
“Fogo de Chão brings an international dining experience to downtown San Antonio, adding to the richness of our diverse culinary scene,” stated Robert Salluce, director of strategic initiatives and community relations for the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The Brazilian steakhouse’s strong cultural traditions and dedication to quality and service make it a natural fit to our family of Riverwalk restaurants. Fogo de Chão’s downtown location and national reputation for offering a unique dining experience will surely attract conventioneers, visitors and lure locals back into the heart of the city.”
Fogo de Chão has received numerous accolades since opening its first restaurant in the United States in 1997. Named one of America’s top restaurants by the Zagat Survey, Fogo de Chão has topped critics’ lists in locations such as Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Beverly Hills and Chicago. Nation’s Restaurant News honored the restaurant with its Hot! Concepts Award in 2003, and Wine Spectator Magazine has presented Fogo de Chão with its Award of Excellence for the past eight years.
Internationally renowned as the premiere Brazilian steakhouse or churrascaria, San Antonio will become the 16th U.S. location for Fogo de Chão, which also has six original locations in Brazil, including Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Salvador and three restaurants in São Paulo. Fogo de Chão San Antonio will be open for dinner and lunch. For more information and reservations, please visit www.fogo.com.
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