Rio de Janeiro: Brazilian BBQ Class & Drinks in Copacabana

4.95

(142 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“Don’t worry, nobody burns the picanha on my watch!” That’s what Bruno said as he handed me the tongs — I hesitated, but everyone was already grinning at me like I was up next for karaoke. The patio in Copacabana smelled like wood smoke and citrus, and it felt more like someone’s backyard than a cooking class. There were ten of us, plus Bruno and Li (she’s got this contagious laugh), and somehow by the second round of caipirinhas we were all swapping stories about our worst kitchen disasters. I didn’t expect to be so relaxed with strangers — or to actually enjoy chopping onions while samba played somewhere down the street.

The Brazilian BBQ class isn’t just about watching; you’re in it from the start. Bruno showed us how to slice cupim (“the secret cut,” he called it) and explained why farofa gets toasted just so — honestly, I still don’t know if mine was crunchy enough, but nobody seemed to mind. There was grilled pineapple that tasted almost caramelized, garlicky bread that disappeared before it hit the table, and this vinaigrette sauce Li made me try twice because apparently my first attempt was “too polite.” At some point it started raining but nobody moved inside; someone pulled out an umbrella for the grill and we just kept going. It felt very Rio — nothing stops for weather here.

I liked that everyone had a job — mixing batida de coco (which is dangerously easy to drink), flipping sausage, or just keeping the conversation flowing. The drinks really are bottomless; I lost count after my third caipirinha but I remember laughing at my own Portuguese anyway. We all ended up sitting around one big table sharing food we’d actually cooked together. When Bruno sent us home with a recipe book and photos from the night, I thought about how different this felt from any restaurant meal — messier maybe, but way more fun.