Chef Martin Matys: How he spent twenty years in one kitchen
A Brazilian lunch at Brasileiro U Zelené žáby
Martin, why did you accept the position of chef at Brasileiro twenty years ago?
At that time I was running the kitchen in Celetná and I probably wouldn't have left it if Tomáš Karpíšek hadn't come up with the idea of opening a Brazilian restaurant. We were all excited by his idea. It seemed simple. We would buy first-class meat and learn how to work with it. This simplicity attracted me, as did the feeling that we were bringing something new to the Czech gastro scene. In retrospect, I admit that we were quite bold.
From day one we offered churrasco, even though we didn't have a grill. We baked the meat overnight in a kettle or roasted it like steaks, which were sliced and spread on cutting boards. We started out with just sirloin and sirloin steak - we couldn't use other parts for steak. We didn't know much about Brazilian cuisine at first. Recipes were tweaked on the fly, thanks to Brazilian staff and trips to Brazil. We wouldn't have gotten anywhere without that.
What were the main things you brought back from Brazil?
The most valuable thing was the atmosphere. We don't strive for high gastronomy as much as we strive for fun, and the experience here is based not only on great food, but more importantly on service. So when we visited Brazil, we noticed a lot of energy on set - we were learning the speed of the passadores, the style of serving and the omnipresent comfort. We understood that Brazilian music and pictures on the walls were not enough. We needed waiters-actors who know how to entertain and draw the guest in.
We brought an unprecedented type of service to Prague and, besides new flavours, we served people a relaxed way to enjoy life - I remember learning to sing Brazilian songs to guests on their birthdays. Plus, we scored with the all you can eat format. Brasileiro has become a place where the guest doesn't have to, as they say, hold a five-crown between his cheeks and worry about it falling out and clinking on the floor. Maybe that's why the restaurant filled up so much that we opened a second one after two years.
Do you feel that you have inspired Czech gastronomy?
If so, it was definitely a different approach to meat. Our colleagues from Brazil showed us how they traditionally prepare certain parts. We found out that the "cheaper" meat we were used to using in ready-made meals or cooking for sauces was also perfect for the grill. Few people would have thought to grill a beef shoulder before.
The combination of steaks with sour salsas, or even with beans and rice, was also unfamiliar to us, as was working with live fire, which we did manage to get into the restaurant after all. For example, the caipirinha, which we dared to serve on ice cubes, as it is done in Brazil, caused a revolution.
But you never changed the concept as such.
You're right. But at the same time, we kept pushing it forward. Apart from the trips to Brazil, we tried to listen to the guests and see Brasileiro through their eyes. Over the years, we've remodelled the interior twice and continually updated the menu to keep it interesting and in step with the times - at one point you had to stick your head out of the kitchen and look around to see where gastronomy was going.
At the very beginning, we cheered every product with a Brazilian flag. Only later did we realise that the authenticity of a cuisine does not depend on the origin of the ingredients, but on their preparation and techniques - and we can apply these to the best available in our country. Nevertheless, we continue to import some things, like beef, because we consume more of it than we can get on the Czech market. But besides that, we also buy prosciutto, local vegetables and other Czech ingredients to which we add Brazilian flavours.
How do you imagine Brasileiro in the next twenty years?
I would like it to be like it is today and leave people with good memories. Brasileiro is constantly evolving, even though it may not be obvious at first glance. But the anniversary made me realise that we have reached a stage where we know who we are - and we want to stay that way. We've built a base of regulars, and I believe we're slowly creating a tradition similar to that of Prague's old pubs.
Every morning I get an email with the previous day's reviews and sometimes I can't believe that the vast majority of people leave more than satisfied. That's why I never stop looking forward to work. On the other hand, the demands of our guests increase year after year, and this motivates us to be better and better. It used to be much easier to be one of the leaders twenty years ago.
Why is Brasileiro still doing so well?
In my opinion, it's because of the communication between the staff and the guest. Both parties exchange important information, which helps to improve our service. The way we serve is also key, which influences the atmosphere in the restaurant. There are waiters, passadores and cooks on the set, so everyone collects direct feedback, plus they appreciate each other's craft - there was never a war between "porters" and "cooks" at Brasileiro.
The team cultivates both collaboration and mindfulness of guests. They should sense that we really listen to them and can fulfil their wishes before they voice them. It's the small gestures of friendliness that allow us to win the trust and ultimately the heart of the guest.
What has being a chef given you?
It took me a long time to find an ease in my work, and I want to pass that on to my people. The stress builds up in the operation and the only defence is perspective. So the chef's job is to bring routine and calm to the kitchen so that everything runs as it should. To do that, I had to learn how to work with people, especially the staff.
I admit that the last few years have taught me another lesson. Our team is rejuvenating and a generation is entering the restaurant with a different outlook on life. It's challenging for an old guard like me to accept the fact that young people are looking for flexibility and not resisting multiple simultaneous jobs. We see this type of flexibility more as insecurity.
You've had more than 20 years of "security" in one restaurant. Has the stereotype caught up with you?
As I mentioned, the chefs at Brasileiro have the huge advantage of being present on set. While elsewhere the kitchen cuts itself off from the diners, even when it's open, we go all the way to the table and can thus watch the reactions to our work "live". Moreover, with new guests come new stories and we want to be part of them. So I successfully avoid the stereotype.
Some friends from the industry sometimes ask me if I'm still in Žaba. I always answer proudly that I am. And I'm proud of it! Brasileiro is like my child - I know the restaurant down to the last screw in the boiler room. But I'm gradually slowing down and making way for younger people, currently my son, who has joined the team in the kitchen. We're all replaceable.
So you'll have more time to travel around Brazil...
And you know, I thought of that, too. Maybe my partner Radek Macura and I will make our dream come true after all, and allow ourselves to leave the restaurant on New Year's Eve and fly to Brazil to toast our good fortune on the beach.
