Fogo de Chão is a fine dining, full-service Brazilian steakhouse or churrascaria. Fogo de Chão currently operates 35 locations in the United States, 10 locations in Brazil, and 2 in Mexico. The name Fogo de Chao means "fire of ground" and summarizes the traditional gaucho method of roasting meats over an open fire.The company was founded by two sets of brothers, the Cosers and Ongarattos in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul in 1979. The first United States location opened in Dallas, Texas in 1997. The Brazilian private equity firm, GP Investments, made their initial investment in Fogo de Chão in 2006 and sold its shares to American private equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners in 2012. On April 20, 2015, the company filed for an initial public offering on the NASDAQ, where it will trade under the symbol "FOGO."
