Where did that name come from? What's with the servers' uniforms?
And how can you get an exclusive cocktail designed by a world-class mixer?
Keep watching for everything you didn't know about Chima Brazilian Steakhouse.
Funded by the Silva family in southern Brazil, the first U.S. Chima Steakhouse outlet opened
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2003. Since then, three other Chima Steakhouses have
opened across the country. Known for its friendly service and stylish settings,
the chain specializes in Brazilian rodizio service where an assortment of dishes — usually
churrasco or Brazilian barbecue — are delivered directly to the tables on oversized skewers.
The meat is then sliced directly onto the plates.
When Bruno Silva first opened Chima Steakhouse, he wanted to offer diners more than just food — he
wanted to give them the experience of Brazil's gastronomic culture. Building on tradition,
Chima's food is served rodízio style by waiters dressed as gauchos, or Brazilian cowboys,
known for their hospitable nature and ability to eat copious amounts of beef. In fact,
gauchos spit-roasted their meat over fire in the 1800s before sharing it among family and friends.
Today, the gaucho style of dining is a huge part of Brazil's — and
Chima's — culinary experience. Sporting white or black shirts and orange neckties,
Chima's waitstaff do the rounds of the dining room, offering diners numerous opportunities to
sample over 15 different churrasco or Brazilian barbecue dishes. When Chima's guests are ready
for a gaucho to approach their table, they flip a special disc from black to orange and request
how they want their meat prepared. The gaucho then slices the piping hot meat right off the skewer.
Once the guests have enough meat on their plates, they flip the disc back to black.
"No, no, no. I can't, I can't. I gotta save room for dessert. I can't do it."
While the undisputed star of
the Chima Steakhouse cocktail menu is the Caipirinha, the chain is named after
an entirely different kind of beverage. Hailing from Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul,
chimarrao, is a caffeinated drink made from the leaves and stems of the yerba mate plant.
The intensely green drink features a creamy texture and an earthy, grassy flavor.
Since in Brazil chimarrão is often drunk as a part of social rituals, its incorporation in
Chima's name represents the steakhouse's culture of camaraderie and hospitality.
Historically, the beverage was used as a means of building bonds between family and friends who
gathered in a circle while the host prepared and drank the first serving with a straw called bomba
or bombilla. The drink would then be refilled and passed to each person at the gathering.
The breadth of Chima's Corporate Chef Adelaide Engler's experience is truly incredible.
In fact, it seems like there's very little she hasn't done.
The multi-talented Brazilian chef, who joined Chima in 2020, is also a food journalist,
author, culinary critic, and radio and television host. Engler has hosted the Brazil Sensational TV
Series for Discovery World and a number of cooking shows for FOX International.
Before becoming enamored with gastronomy, Engler studied economics in Brazil
and worked as an investment advisor in New York City. Fluent in 6 languages,
she has trained and worked at some of the world's top restaurants
including Cipriani Copacabana Palace in Brazil and El Celler de Can Roca in Spain.
Although the main appeal of a churrascaria is meat, Chima Steakhouse also has plenty to offer
vegetarians. Vegetarian diners can simply opt for the sumptuous buffet-style gourmet salad
bar without paying for the rodízio, which includes both meat and the salad buffet.
With an overwhelming choice of Brazilian and American vegetarian dishes, Chima's
salad bar can satisfy some serious hunger. From classic greens like Waldorf Salad, Caesar Salad,
and Arugula Salad to more unusual offerings such as Black Quinoa Salad and Kale Sweet Potato Salad,
the buffet offers something for all tastes.
"I think it's time for you to start to seriously consider salads."
For those wishing to create their own culinary masterpieces, Chima features a
variety of vegetables and sauces. Furthermore, it's not just vegetarians who are impressed.
Many carnivores have praised Chima's salad bar for its extensive parade of offerings,
albeit pointing out that one should save room for the restaurant's main attraction — the churrasco.
While steakhouses lend themselves well to gluten-free diets since they serve a lot of meat,
Chima takes particular care when it comes to highlighting its gluten-free options — and
it has many! So many, in fact, that the restaurant has a special gluten-free menu.
From appetizers such as cheese bread and turkey spread to dozens of items from the salad bar,
Chima delivers an overwhelming range of gluten-free fare.
To top things off, there are also gluten-free dressings, sauces, and desserts.
Chima's extremely transparent menu, which also highlights items that contain dairy and nuts,
has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from diners. One reviewer on Find Me Gluten Free wrote,
"We made an online reservation and put a note that I cannot eat gluten.
Upon arriving, they asked if we'd like a printout of the allergy information
so I was aware of the items on the salad bar that are gluten-free."
Back in 2017, Chima partnered up with
the owner of one of Philadelphia's most popular bars, the Hop Sing Laundromat, to bring its guests
three delicious cocktails. Since the stylish speakeasy is known for its strict door policy,
many rejoiced at the opportunity to sample its meticulously-crafted cocktails without having
to dress to the nines. The mastermind behind the venue's delicious cocktails is its owner,
who has been quick to highlight his appreciation for Chima Steakhouse's meaty offerings.
The main component of the three cocktails was cachaça,
the popular tipple of Brazil made from fermented sugar cane. The appropriately-named Gaúcho blended
cachaça, lemon juice, crushed blackberries, soda, and simple syrup. The Gaúcha contained the same
ingredients but replaced crushed blackberries with raspberries.
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