Nicosia, Cyprus. Private chef Jeffrey Hoffen, originally from Guatemala, says he moved from owning a restaurant on one of Nicosia’s most affluent streets to cooking meat on an open flame in public and private settings across the island.
Early restaurant success in Nicosia
In the early 2000s, Hoffen opened what he described as the first Brazilian restaurant in Nicosia, Fogo & Brasa Churrascaria Brasil, located on Strasicratous Street. The venture, created in partnership with Apoel football player Gustavo Manduca, operated successfully for about five years and offered Rodizio, a Brazilian all-you-can-eat service featuring rotating selections of fire-roasted meats carved at the table.
Hoffen said the decision to sell came before renovations on Stasicratous Street and before the Covid period.
Shift to private catering and street cooking
After selling the restaurant, Hoffen said customers continued to seek him out to cook steak at their homes, leading him to cater small events focused mainly on steak. He also began organising outdoor cooking events in the streets of the capital, cooking meat over an open flame as part of an experiential format.
He said he enjoys working outside more than working in a restaurant, describing it as more organic, while noting the lack of restaurant amenities. He added that avoiding high running expenses can help keep customer prices lower and said the change has given him more time for his family.
Background in hotels and kitchen design
Hoffen said he has worked in five-star hotels across Cyprus, including the Four Seasons and the Hilton. He also spent years undertaking kitchen design for hotels, but said he left that work behind in pursuit of a better quality of life and a different approach for customers.
He said his goal is to reach steak lovers without being too expensive while maintaining good meat quality, and that a movable setup that can be taken to a client’s house or a hotel is a formula that works.
Troodos collaboration at the Jubilee Hotel
Hoffen’s latest venture includes serving steaks and burgers under his Fogo Signature at the newly renovated Jubilee Hotel in Troodos. He said that after Covid, changes affected how people eat and gather, and described the winter setting as part of the experience for visitors combining the hotel, snow, and shared meals.
He said the events focus on gathering around a barbecue, combining good-quality meat with what he described as an educational talk about it.
Menu details and cooking approach
The event includes steaks served with sautéed potatoes with herbs, grilled vegetables, and burgers, including burgers made from Black Angus served in a home-made brioche.
Hoffen said his signature approach begins with ingredient quality and proper technique. He said he cooks with wood, using olive or lemon tree wood sourced from a company permitted to sell it, and described fire as one of the oldest cooking methods and part of Mediterranean culture.
He said he does not use sauces except chimichurri, which he described as Argentinian, and prefers using salt to enhance the flavour of different cuts. He said he aims to teach people how to differentiate meat, noting that fattier cuts can be tastier, while filet steak is leaner and may have less perceived taste.
What do you look for most when choosing a steak cut for an open-flame barbecue?
