6 Questions with Carlos and Victor of Ipanema on Pao de Queijo, Childhood Restaurant Memories, & Working with Family

Read time: 8.5 min

By Sophie Braker

Carlos and Victor Pedro grew up in their father’s restaurant, Ipanema. Ipanema has been in their family and in New York, in one location or another, for decades. Now Victor and Carlos have taken up the mantle as they open the newest location of Ipanema. To learn more about their story, watch BSP391: Restaurant Family Legacy, Brazilian Food, Portuguese Cuisine with Carlos and Victor of Ipanema.

What’s a food or drink you always have on hand at home?

Carlos

So much of Portuguese food is olive oil and garlic. It's just the go to, so I always have that on hand. I’m not a chef by any means. We get people who are good at that. But I do like to cook. It's kind of a therapeutic process. I rock a certain number of flavors. I am always throwing salt, olive oil, and garlic on literally anything I make. 

Victor

From the Brazilian side, I usually have a pack of frozen Brazilian cheese breads, pão de queijo, in my freezer. They make a really great snack. They are amazing.

What’s an early memory of your father's restaurant, Ipanema?

Carlos

I’m the oldest so I have the earliest memories. It’s one of those typical stories of people who grew up in restaurants. I have vivid memories of my grandparents bringing me to the restaurant a lot. Maybe three or four days a week. We would drive across the white stone bridge from Queens. I was probably six years old. One of my favorite games was to grab random things at the bar. I wouldn’t drink anything but I would pretend to be a bartender. We used to call it “a bagunça” which means “a mess.” I would be tired so I would put three chairs together and sleep there. I have really early memories. That was like our first first location.

Victor 

I remember the first thing I would do was processing the credit cards on the checks in the back on the old machines. That’s my first memory in the restaurant.

What misconceptions do people have about Portuguese food? What do people not understand?

Carlos 

It’s interesting. I find there aren’t even misconceptions. There just isn’t a familiarity with the cuisine which I think is criminal. It’s such an amalgamation of different things. The Portuguese were explorers. They went around and combined this from there. They were like culinary pollinators. Part of it is that Portuguese cuisine is historically a humble cuisine; it’s not about fancy techniques and plating and this and that. It’s about what tastes good and what nourishes. When I would go out to eat, they would have a very high floor and some people would perceive a low ceiling. That’s maybe just because of what they are looking for. I could go anywhere in Portugal and usually eat well. I just wish people were more familiar with it. I think it’s starting to happen. A lot more people have visited Portugal in the last ten years than in the previous twenty years of my life. It's getting there. We are trying to take those humble dishes and elevate them a little bit. It's spreading the word and getting it in front of more people.

What are common misconceptions about Brazilian food? What do people not understand about Brazilian food? 

Victor

There are a lot of misconceptions especially in America. When people think of Brazilian food they think of the churrascaria where they go around with the meats and they cut pieces. They think of the meat parties. In reality, Brazil is a massive country that has influences from all over the world. Northern Brazil has a very heavy African influence: moqueca, vatapa. More towards São Paulo, there’s Asian influence and German influence. We’re trying to showcase all of the different cultures that have impacted Brazilian cuisine. It's not just meat, rice, and beans. 

What’s the biggest challenge opening a restaurant in New York City?

Victor

Patience is a virtue in every aspect of the business, the construction side, the staffing side, the menu side. New York is a very competitive space. Have patience in every aspect of the opening process. Take your time with things. If you rush certain things, if you take shortcuts, you aren’t going to make it.

Carlos

Even in the best of times opening a restaurant is a blood sport. There’s so many headwinds you have to fight through. You have to be a little crazy. You have to be really obsessed with opening a restaurant. You can’t be in halfway, 99%. You have to be 100%. That's in the best of times. In the last year, the headwinds have just been historically strong. You have supply chain issues. You have labor issues. Challenges with materials to build the space, equipment to be in the space. We faced some real challenges this last time. It almost makes it even more rewarding when you make it through that barrier of entry. You have to be really, really dedicated. If you are, then you will find a way to overcome all of those challenges, but it's not for the faint of heart. 

What’s a general nugget you would give someone who is opening a restaurant?

Carlos

From my end, it's funny because we have different skill sets. Victor went to BU Hospitality. He is much more polished on the front of the house than I am. I am the guy with my face stuck in spreadsheets. I’m always worried about the legal side. I'm an attorney. From my end, you have to be strong on both fronts. You have to know how to really deliver an amazing customer experience. The food and service has to be on point. But then the real grind to a restaurant is also constantly fighting on every front. Making sure that your food cost is right. Even if you have a successful restaurant, everyone is always trying to take a little piece here and there. You have to always have your eyes on the numbers. Never get complacent. Always fight. Focus on the customer experience and growing the top line but never lose sight of the fundamentals.

Victor

I would say invest in your people. That's important on many fronts. Not only because they are the face of your business. My father would say we all have bosses. And even my bosses are the customers. They are the ones that have the most interaction with our bosses. Treat them right. Invest in those people. Especially now, every company is trying to treat their employees better than the other company. So to attract and retain the best talent you have to treat them as best you can.

Carlos and Victor Pedro are the sibling co-owners of Ipanema, the modern Brazilian and Portuguese restaurant that opened in Midtown Manhattan in May. Carlos and Victor return to Midtown where their father, Portuguese immigrant Alfredo Pedro first opened the restaurant in 1979 under the name 'Brazilian Coffee,' before becoming Ipanema. The restaurant quickly became a Brazilian staple in Little Brazil, known for its lively atmosphere, classic Brazilian cuisine and warm hospitality. Now over four decades later, Alfredo's sons Carlos and Victor Pedro are rebuilding the magic of Ipanema in a new location 10 blocks north.