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From South America to Yorkshire - Tomás' Story

Our own co-founder and Sales & Marketing Director Tomas Maunier shares memories of his childhood in South America and his passion for the social dining concept.

Brazilian Born

I was born in São Jose dos Campos in Brazil, a city in the same state as São Paulo, though my parents were both Argentinian. They moved from Argentina when my father was relocated with his job at Johnson & Johnson's.

Living in Brazil, we were fortunate enough to have our own small fazenda (large farm or estate). There was another fazenda we also visited regularly located on the side of the terrain which was home to cattle and horses. Ours was near the beach in Ubatuba which was more agricultural, growing coffee beans and bananas & other vegetables. I remember so well when we used to visit ours, you would see a family of monkeys playing around amongst the trees!

The Churrascos (Brazilian word for barbecues) were such a key part of our Sunday. We would meet early in the morning and start up the fire at a friend's house. While the cooking process started a 'picada' would have chicken hearts and caipirinhas - for the adults, and Guaraná for the children. We would grill meats really slowly and would tuck into them cut by cut throughout the day, usually starting with the sausages then moving on to the chicken. We always ended the feast with the prime cuts.

One of my fondest memories whenever I visited a rodizio as child when we were living in Brazil, my favourite was always the fried banana and hearts of palm. And my childhood favourite - always present at any and all children's party - chocolate brigadeiros!

Argentinian Bred

Moving to Argentina aged 10, the social gathering of friends and family was no different to how it was back in Brazil. This is something I believe is in the heart of everyone in South America – the desire to share food, wine and time, reminiscing about the past and creating new memories. So every Sunday, it was almost ritual to come together and enjoy an asado in the sunshine, always paired with amazing Argentinian wines. For the colder and rainier days (yes, it does get quite cold in Buenos Aires!) we would all take shelter in the ‘quinchos’ in the houses of friends and family. Quinchos are almost like purpose-built huts in the garden. No Argentinian will be stopped from hosting an asado!

Growing up in one of the largest capital cities in the world fed my hunger for new challenges and experiences. From the age of 14, I was working during the school holidays at the family business. Coming from a family of notaries usually means one has an intrigue to follow in their footsteps, and so I began to read law. During year four of my studies (only half way through), I decided it wasn’t for me and went on to work for a marketing agency with my father and sister, working with big international clients such as Jaguar, Land Rover, Disney & Telecom.

A journey across the Atlantic

In 2007, my wife had been accepted to Bradford University on an MA Translation & Interpreting course, so we set out on our journey to Yorkshire with the intention of staying for the duration of the course. Ten years later and here we still are!

Why? That's where I met one of our previous directors, which resulted in us opening Fazenda Leeds in 2011. What a journey we’ve come on! It’s a very exciting time for us, and we couldn’t do it without the team we have. As a child and throughout my adult life, the experience of sharing great times and great food has always been so instrinsic for me, in my blood. When I stop to think about where we are today, I still feel the deep-rooted passion for sharing a piece of my South American heritage with every guest that walks through our doors…

 

You can find Tomas on Twitter and Instagram, and if you have any questions for him post them in the comments section below so he can answer them, Fazendeiros.

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Please read all reservation terms stated on this page. By making a reservation with us you agree to our terms.

  • Reservation Terms

    Online Reservations
    Tables of up to 10 guests can be booked straight from our website (9 for Fazenda Birmingham and Edinburgh).

    For larger tables please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] and our Reception Teams will be happy to help with your enquiry.

    After making your reservation you'll receive a confirmation email. Should you not see this in your inbox after a few minutes please check your spam/junk folders. Do let us know if you have not received it and we'll be happy to help.

    Dress Code
    Our dress code is “elegant smart casual”. We do not require gentlemen to wear jacket and tie, however, we do not permit sportswear (gym wear) or beachwear.

    Children
    We welcome children of all ages and believe we provide a great atmosphere for families to enjoy the restaurant experience. In the evening if guests wish to make a reservation with children under the age of 8 please do so for no later than 6pm (reservation durations vary depending on the number of guests so please note the reservation cannot go beyond 8pm). When making a reservation please count children in the total number of guests and let us know if you need a high chair or space for a pram/pushchair.
    Please note: We politely request that children are always supervised and remain seated at the table to allow our teams and other guests to move around the restaurant safely and maintain physical distance.
    Lastly, please note that children under 16 years of age need to be accompanied by an adult to dine.

    Cancellations & Deposits
    We might require card details for some reservations. Your card will not be charged upon booking and your details will be securely processed by Stripe.

    If you no longer wish to keep your reservation, please let us know with as much notice as possible. Should you cancel your reservation or reduce the booking size less than 24 hours before your reservation date and time, a charge of £10.00 per guest will be processed.

    Halal Selection
    Halal reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance.

    Allergens
    The team at Fazenda take food safety very seriously and particularly so when it concerns allergens in food. On our website you can view allergen information on our Menu page. When visiting us you'll have access to it via our menus and also on our Market Table.

    Smoking
    In line with legislation passed in 2007 Fazenda is a no-smoking restaurant. We do not allow e-cigarettes inside either.

    Pets & Guide Dogs
    Animals are not accepted unless assisting guests with additional needs.

    Photography
    Guests are allowed to take photos and videos for personal use inside the private dining room, gardens and on the terrace. At the moment we are not able to accommodate any photography requests for professional or educational purposes until further notice.

  • FAQs

    **What are your opening days and times? **
    To view each restaurant opening times please click on Locations and choose your local Fazenda.

    Are you accepting walk-ins?
    We are now accepting walk-ins once again.

    How can I make a reservation?
    You can make a reservation via our website or by contacting your local Fazenda by clicking on Locations.

    Do I need to pay a deposit for my reservation?
    We might require card details for some reservations. Your card will not be charged upon booking and your details will be securely processed by Stripe.

    If you no longer wish to keep your reservation, please let us know with as much notice as possible. Should you cancel your reservation or reduce the booking size less than 24 hours before your reservation date and time, a charge of £10.00 per guest will be processed.

    Can I have drinks at the bar?
    Absolutely, and reservations are not needed in advance for our bar areas.

    Are Christmas reservations available?
    They are indeed, via our reservations page.

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