Set in the beautiful surroundings of Exchange Flags in the heart of Liverpool, Fazenda Liverpool exudes elegance in a setting steeped in history and culture.
Fazenda Liverpool has now reopened since the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were eased. We asked Katie, General Manager, to answer some burning questions we had!
How did the lockdown period impact Fazenda?
The lockdown period was obviously a difficult one for a lot of businesses and Fazenda is no exception to that. There was worry and uncertainty. Now that we are through lockdown, it seems easy to answer this because we have come through the other side strong, if not stronger. We truly believe in our team and they are what drive the success of the business so focus really was placed on keeping communication strong with them throughout.
Behind the scenes, lockdown was a period of reflecting and planning – not only to meet and exceed government guidelines to ensure our teams and guests return to the safest environment possible but to also really ensure the roots of Fazenda remain clear throughout the guest experience and finding ways to amend the way we deliver that experience to our guests. A lot of ideas were considered and a large proportion of time was spent developing the implementation and training of the adjusted concept.
What changes have you made to Fazenda since reopening?
Firstly, the health and safety of our guests and team is our priority so many safety measures have been put in place. When entering the restaurant there is an automatic hand sanitiser and then temperature checks take place through a state of the art temperature screening camera upon entering the building, this applies for team members and our guests. Screens have been installed, team members wear face coverings and we have put further social distancing measures in place.
Secondly, with South American roots, it was certain that the concept of Fazenda would remain, just in a slightly different way. As a traditional Brazilian Rodizio, our service is based on a continuous table-side service as usual, except now our guests have a variety of side dishes available to order rather than having a salad bar, these have been carefully selected to include succulent Brazilian and Argentinian flavours to accompany the meats which are still served by our passadores at the table.
Can you tell us your top tips for someone visiting Fazenda for the first time?
Really take advantage of the red/green controller card as this will help you pace yourself! Use it like a traffic light, green means go for meat service and red means stop. To make the most of your experience, go green when you have some side dishes in front of you and don’t forget to try the Tartar de Remolacha: Beetroot, orange & onion topped with goat’s cheese.
What’s your favourite thing about working within the hospitality industry in Liverpool?
It is like one big family, scouse by nature! The relationship and support everyone offers each other, there is always another venue who can help you, always looking out for one another and we recommend each other. Liverpool is a unique city in many ways, people are more laid back, friendly and understanding! Beyond that, my favourite time in hospitality has to be when the city is full of football fans and venues are just full of people having a good time.
Finally, what are your thoughts for the future? Are you looking forward to us returning to a new normal and getting back to the things we love, responsibly?
Yes and no.
I am really looking forward to being able to welcome even more guests to the restaurant without household restrictions/ number of guests at any one table, I cannot wait to have that busy vibe in our bar area where people are able to gather and enjoy socialising with friends and family. Watching football fixtures and forecasting sales for those days but above all, I’m looking forward to being able to show appreciation, by hugging and shaking hands with our guests and colleagues. Of course, with time, patience and responsibility, we’ll adapt and work towards the new normal and learn to enjoy whatever that may be!