The first UK edition of Casa Brasil will launch in London’s Covent Garden next week, after massive success in New York earlier this year.

Hosted by ApexBrasil, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, in partnership with some of Brazil’s largest producer associations, the fortnight long festival will span two landmark celebratory dates in the calendar. Opening on Thursday 25th August, on the cusp of London’s Carnival weekend, and concluding on 7th September, the bicentenary of Brazil’s Independence Day, Casa Brasil will celebrate the flourishing culture that has developed over the last 200 years.

The event will be open to all, and free to all, and is a wonderful opportunity for Londoners to experience the best gastronomy, furniture, interior design, fashion, and culture that Brazil has to offer. Every day will bring something new to experience.

As its name suggests, Casa Brasil transports visitors directly into a traditional Brazilian home, complete with furniture, utensils and décor that evoke a spirit of Brasilidade (Brazilian-ness). Visitors exploring the interactive experience will discover traditional food and drink such as coffee, açaí, tropical fruit and cachaça, some of which may already be familiar from London’s diverse cafes and cocktail bars.

Wine, cocktail and drink tastings, bartender and barista experiences, a garden market with Brazilian products, cooking shows and demonstrations will feature some of Brazil’s finest produce from across the country’s five regions, while fashion shows and musical performances will complete the sensory experience.

Lucas Fiuza, Business Director, ApexBrasil said: “Brazil is a melting pot of cultures, heritages and flavours, and this celebration will champion the country’s unique fashion and gastronomical creations, mixing the best of indigenous, African, Asian, and European heritages with the country’s rich cornucopia of abundant produce. Casa Brasil will open London foodies’ taste buds to a whole new perspective, with flavours and combinations not often found outside Brazil.”

There will be 16 Brazilian companies present, more than 50 pieces in exhibition, in partnership with 26 sectorial associations. In total, 77 activities are expected – all of which will give London a true Brazilian experience.

In addition to delicious food and drink and eye-opening cultural moments, Casa Brasil will highlight to guests that Brazil is open for business and investment. Networking, foreign export and trade events will all be hosted on the site, where guests can enjoy keynote speeches from sector specialists in food and drink, agriculture, fashion and ornamental stones.

The festival takes place as London’s Notting Hill Carnival kicks off – a celebration of Caribbean culture sharing a common cultural heritage with Brazil’s world-famous Carnaval – and will be the perfect opportunity for visitors who want to experience the vibrancy that the country has to offer.

Lucas Fiuza of ApexBrasil continued: “Casa Brasil will provide visitors a unique opportunity to try our gastronomy, learn about Brazil, its current business environment, and relevance in food and energy security. I can’t wait to raise the curtain on this exciting London experience, introducing our country’s wonderful culture and competitive business environment to global audiences. On the momentous occasion of our bicentenary, this is a celebration of what Brazil truly is: an innovative country that looks to the future built on a rich heritage and culture.”

Food and Drink

The Brazilian superstar chef, Luciana Berry, has curated the event, expertly shaping the vision, tastes and textures of London’s Casa Brasil. As curator, Luciana has created the gastronomical journey that visitors will go on when they drop-in to the festival with the help of headline names in food and drink.

A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Luciana was crowned the 2020 winner of Top Chef Brasil and was a semi-finalist on Masterchef Professionals UK. Luciana Berry said: “Casa Brasil is a multisensory journey that begins in this geographical vision, a vibrant Brazil to be discovered and experienced in a unique way.”

Live cooking demonstrations will be directed by MasterChef The Professionals 2020 winner, Alex Webb, and Head Chef of Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair, Jorge Baumhauer da Silva amongst others. Coffee aficionados, wine specialists and spirits experts will also support Luciana’s creative concept with various tastings and masterclasses.

Casa Brasil will run from Thursday 25 August until Wednesday 7 September at The Stables on Earlham Street, Covent Garden. For more information on the festival’s schedule, please visit https://apexbrasil.com.br/casabrasillondon