THE AUTHENTIC BRAZILIAN EXPERIENCE AT CHAMAS IS CREATED BY ITS STAFF
Wed 5th December 2018
Chamas is proud of its reputation as a rodizio experience, employing Brazilian staff who have recreated the ambience of rodizio. One of the staff members who hail from Brazil is Dirceu who is no stranger to the rodizio.
The rodizio is a centuries old tradition in Southern Brazil which is rooted around the campfires of the gaucho (South American horsemen). Large skewers of beef, lamb, chicken and pork were continually spit-roasted over a traditional churrassco (the Portuguese word for grill) and passed around from man to man to enjoy as they finished cooking. As he grew up, Dirceu would participate in social gatherings around these campfires. It was a time to be social as well as enjoying the delicious food!
Paraná has the largest annual meat festival in Brazil, where thousands of people gather every year to share in 300 ribs (16 tonnes) of meat cooked around a huge, open-pit barbecue. Dirceu would attend this every year with his family. At Chamas, the skewers are spit-roasted over a traditional churassco which ensures the flavour of the meats are just as they would be
when cooked over open campfires.
Dirceu says his favourite cut is the one shown in the photo, Maminha Com Queijo (steak and cheese). He says he finds it hard to resist! But he also enjoys the gourmet salads served to accompany the different cuts of meat, the hot Brazilian-style stews with rice and potatoes (which are a meal themselves) and the signature pineapple with cinnamon, not to mention the
caipirinha cocktails!
Although Beverley is a long way from Brazil, Dirceu loves living and working here as it is “a beautiful town with beautiful people”. The best thing for him, he says, is that the Chamas staff all pull together like a family unit which makes him feel as if he is back in Brazil. And with all the delicious authentic food, being with his Brazilian co-workers and Brazilian music, he doesn’t have time to miss Brazil - just the weather!
He loves to interact with the customers and especially enjoys celebrating birthdays with a special Brazilian ‘Happy Birthday’ song at the table-side.
