Chef Thiago Duwe highlights management role in Brazil’s booming restaurant industry

The Brazilian restaurant sector recorded a 15% year‑on‑year increase in April 2026, reaching a market size of R$ 261 billion and representing 8.5% of total retail sales, according to the National Restaurant Association (ANR). A study by Sebrae and Abrasel noted that only 53.1% of operators use technical sheets for standardising dishes and fewer than 10% maintain permanent staff‑training programmes, underscoring the need for skilled managerial chefs.

Chef International Thiago Duwe, who has worked in more than 68 countries and spoken five languages, exemplifies this shift. He oversaw the kitchen for Fenarreco – the second‑largest festival in Santa Catarina – for four consecutive years, directing a team of over 50 staff to prepare roughly 3,000 meals daily and coordinating large‑scale regional events such as mass‑served pasta, feijoada and paella. Duwe stresses that large‑scale culinary operations require “planning, quantity calculation, hiring, supplier selection, equipment checks and licences,” not merely cooking.

Duwe also points to the growing role of technology, noting that artificial‑intelligence tools now aid inventory control, sales forecasting and cost management. At the NRA Show 2026 in Chicago, experts highlighted AI‑driven demand‑prediction systems that reduce waste, while Brazil’s ACOMXperience showcased solutions that identify operational bottlenecks and improve financial efficiency for large kitchens.