FOR most Singaporeans, the 36-hour flight to Brazil serves as an insurmountable barrier to accessing the vibrant country and its exhilarating cuisine. The next best thing, therefore, is patronising Brazil Churrascaria - the first Brazilian churrascaria in Singapore, set up by David Gabriel.

And customers are not complaining. A meal at this restaurant is a veritable feast for the senses. In an authentic Brazilian setting, perfectly marinated Brazilian-style barbecued meats are served by pasadors, trained waiters who expertly slice succulent pieces of chicken, beef or pork off skewers and onto the patrons' plates.

Mr Gabriel's first encounter with a churrasco was on a trip to Lisbon with a friend. 'I thought it was a really good idea, and I instinctively felt that this concept would work well in Singapore.'

His instincts, as it turns out, were spot on. The result of a partnership with Palace Churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Churrascaria, located on hip 6th Avenue, has enjoyed a full house every night since its opening day in 1994. The restaurant boasts an annual net profit of about 20 per cent, along with an annual 40 per cent return on investment. Not bad going, for a start-up price tag of over $1 million.

'I have to say we were very, very lucky. Three previous restaurants had failed at this location, as it wasn't really the 'it' place then. Somehow, though, people were very excited about the prospect of a Brazilian restaurant opening in Singapore, and we snagged a lot of pre-opening publicity, with The Business Times and The Sunday Times featuring articles on us.'

Luck is not the only contributing factor to the churrascaria's success, though. Despite the sudden spate of similar Brazilian barbecue joints springing up all over the island, Mr Gabriel's restaurant still manages to hold its own against, and even perform better than, the others.

'What sets us apart from these restaurants? The first reason is, simply, the quality, consistency and variety of our meats and marinades. No other franchise I have seen has attained our extremely high standards. Secondly, we have an unsurpassable vegetable bar and, thirdly, the quality of service we have is excellent. At least 60 per cent of our staff have been with us for 10 years; they are well trained and experienced, providing the best customer service possible.'

Latin flair

Indeed, four pasadors are Brazil natives, injecting an unmistakeably Latin American flair into the dinner proceedings. Dining at Brazil Churrascaria is, therefore, as much of an experience as a meal.

Mr Gabriel's first foray into the realm of F&B has been so successful that he has just opened a new restaurant at Club Street, a stretch of road known for its smorgasbord of fine dining eateries. Named Seven on Club, it has the distinction of offering both the full churrasco and an a la carte Mediterranean menu. In this venture, Mr Gabriel is partnered by his long-time friend, Chef Jason Lee, who has had more than 20 years of experience in preparing European cuisine.

'I have had many customers request for a more extensive menu than the meat-centred one in Brazil Churrascaria. When this location on Club Street became available, I decided to ask Chef Lee along and combine our expertise into one restaurant,' he explains.

Not one for resting on his laurels, Mr Gabriel is already looking to expand his Brazilian empire as plans are under way to open another churrascaria branch in the East Coast area next year. He is also developing a franchise for his meats with International Enterprise Singapore, with the intention of taking the churrasco concept to the Middle East, South Africa and China.

With all these bold, shining plans for the future, one must not overlook the hard work and headaches Mr Gabriel had to endure before Brazil Churrascaria even registered on the radar of Singaporean gastronomers.

'We initially had absolutely no previous experience in the restaurant business and had to learn everything from scratch,' recalls Mr Gabriel. 'It cost us $900,000 to put everything together - we didn't want to take any risks, so every single piece of kitchen equipment was bought brand new.'

His dedication to perfection and authenticity even translated across to the decor - a Brazilian interior designer was flown in just to decorate the restaurant. In comparison, the overall cost for setting up Seven on Club was a mere $150,000.

Now, as he can add the label 'experienced restaurateur' to his growing list of achievements, he is in a worthy position to offer words of wisdom to aspiring players in the volatile restaurant industry. 'First, get your food right. The Singaporean palate is very sophisticated, and diners want first-class food. Service must also be excellent, as the dining experience is an integral part of eating out.'

Judging from the bustling crowd that has thronged the 6th Avenue eatery every night for the past 13 years, his word is certainly food for thought.

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