Today we’d like to introduce you to Schubert Junior.
Hi Schubert, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Schubert Batista Junior, and I am the founder of Espeto Mania Grill, a family-owned Brazilian barbecue business based in Utah.
As a Brazilian living in the United States, I have always believed that food is one of the most beautiful ways to share our culture, traditions, and memories with others. In Brazil, barbecue is much more than just a meal. It brings families and friends together, creates unforgettable moments, and is a big part of who we are.
That passion inspired the creation of Espeto Mania Grill. Our dream was to introduce people in Utah to the authentic flavors of Brazilian street barbecue, especially our traditional charcoal-grilled meat skewers, known in Brazil as “espetinhos.”
We started with a simple idea: offer delicious, high-quality food, prepared with care, fresh ingredients, authentic Brazilian seasonings, and the unmistakable flavor of real charcoal grilling.
Building a business from the ground up requires dedication, sacrifice, and countless hours of hard work. From preparing and marinating the meats to assembling every skewer by hand, transporting our equipment, and setting up at different events, we put our hearts into every detail.
What makes Espeto Mania Grill especially meaningful to me is that it is a family business. Our family is part of this journey, and we are building something that represents not only our Brazilian roots but also our dreams for the future.
Today, we participate in farmers markets, festivals, and community events throughout Utah. One of the most rewarding parts of this experience has been seeing the incredible response from our customers. We have had long lines at events, customers returning for more, and people following us to different locations just to enjoy our barbecue again.
Seeing Americans and people from so many different backgrounds discover and fall in love with Brazilian flavors has been an amazing experience.
We are still growing, learning, and working hard every day. Our goal is to make Espeto Mania Grill a recognized name for authentic Brazilian barbecue in Utah and eventually expand our business even further.
For us, success is not just about selling food. It is about sharing our culture, creating connections, bringing families together, and showing that with passion, determination, and hard work, a simple dream can become something truly special.
Espeto Mania Grill is more than a business to us. It is our family’s dream coming to life, one skewer at a time.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Building Espeto Mania Grill has definitely not been an easy journey, but every challenge has made us stronger and more determined to succeed.
As a Brazilian entrepreneur building a family-owned business in the United States, one of our biggest challenges has been creating a professional food operation from the ground up while maintaining the authentic quality and traditions of Brazilian barbecue.
From obtaining health department permits and finding commercial kitchen space to purchasing equipment, preparing for events, and managing the unpredictable Utah weather, every step has required hard work, patience, and dedication.
One of our biggest commitments has always been quality. We refuse to compromise on the ingredients we use. We carefully select premium cuts of meat and prepare our skewers by hand using our signature homemade Brazilian seasoning, a secret recipe that we guard very closely. Customers constantly ask us what makes our meat taste so special, but that is one secret we simply cannot reveal!
Unlike many food businesses, we grill our skewers over real charcoal, bringing the authentic Brazilian barbecue experience directly to farmers markets and festivals. This requires additional equipment, preparation, and physical effort, but we believe the incredible flavor makes it worth every challenge.
Operating outdoors also comes with unexpected difficulties. Strong winds, rain, changing temperatures, and event cancellations can turn days of preparation into financial losses. As a small family business, these situations can be especially challenging.
There have been long nights preparing hundreds of skewers, early mornings loading equipment, and exhausting days working at events. Sometimes, building a dream means sacrificing personal time, weekends, and comfort.
But the most rewarding moments make everything worthwhile.
Seeing long lines of customers waiting for our barbecue, hearing people compliment the tenderness and flavor of our premium meats, and watching customers follow us from one event to another reminds us why we started.
We are especially proud when someone tries Brazilian barbecue for the first time and tells us it is one of the best things they have ever tasted.
Our philosophy is simple: never sacrifice quality, always treat customers like family, and never give up on our dreams.
We know we still have a long road ahead, but we are proud of what we have accomplished. Our goal is not simply to sell skewers. We want to build a respected Brazilian barbecue brand that people recognize for exceptional quality, authentic flavor, and unforgettable experiences.
Every obstacle has taught us that success is not about having an easy journey. It is about believing in what you are building and having the determination to keep going.
For us, Espeto Mania Grill represents our family’s hard work, our Brazilian heritage, and our belief that a dream, combined with dedication and passion, can become something extraordinary.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Espeto Mania Grill is a family-owned Brazilian barbecue business based in Utah, specializing in authentic Brazilian charcoal-grilled skewers made with premium cuts of meat, traditional techniques, and our exclusive homemade seasoning.
Our mission is simple: to bring the authentic taste, quality, and experience of Brazilian barbecue to communities across Utah.
What truly sets Espeto Mania Grill apart is our commitment to quality and flavor. We carefully select premium cuts of meat, prepare our skewers by hand, and use a special homemade Brazilian seasoning that has become one of the signatures of our business.
Our seasoning is our little secret, guarded under lock and key! Customers constantly ask us what ingredients we use and how we make our meat taste so delicious, but that is one recipe we simply cannot share. It is part of what makes Espeto Mania Grill unique.
Another important difference is that we cook over real charcoal. We believe authentic Brazilian barbecue should have that unmistakable smoky flavor, incredible aroma, and juicy tenderness that only traditional charcoal grilling can deliver.
We specialize in a variety of Brazilian-style skewers, including premium beef, seasoned chicken, chicken wrapped in bacon, and traditional Brazilian-style sausage. We also offer Brazilian grilled cheese, delicious garlic bread, and other specialty skewers inspired by Brazilian flavors.
Everything is prepared with attention to detail, from selecting our ingredients and marinating the meats to grilling each skewer fresh for our customers.
Today, we proudly participate in farmers markets, festivals, and community celebrations throughout Utah, introducing Brazilian barbecue to people from many different cultures and backgrounds.
One of the things we are most proud of is the incredible response we receive at our events. We frequently have long lines of customers waiting for our food, and many people return to see us at different markets and festivals.
Some customers tell us they have never tasted anything quite like our barbecue. Others bring their friends and families back because they want them to experience it too.
For a family-owned business, that kind of loyalty means everything.
We are not trying to be just another food vendor. We want every customer to remember the experience of visiting Espeto Mania Grill, from the incredible aroma of meat cooking over charcoal to the first bite of a perfectly grilled skewer.
Our business is built on three fundamental values: premium quality, authentic Brazilian flavor, and treating every customer like family.
We are especially proud to represent Brazilian culture here in Utah. In Brazil, barbecue is about much more than food. It is about bringing people together, celebrating life, and creating memories with family and friends. That is exactly the feeling we want to share.
As we continue to grow, our vision is to make Espeto Mania Grill one of the most recognized Brazilian barbecue brands in Utah and eventually introduce our food to even more communities.
We want readers to know that behind every skewer is a family working hard to build a dream, a passion for authentic Brazilian barbecue, and a secret seasoning that keeps people coming back for more.
At Espeto Mania Grill, we don’t just serve barbecue. We bring a little piece of Brazil to every event, one delicious skewer at a time.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I believe the food industry will continue to evolve significantly over the next 5 to 10 years, with customers increasingly looking for authentic flavors, premium ingredients, high-quality food, and memorable dining experiences.
People are becoming more interested in discovering foods from different cultures, especially when those foods are prepared with passion, tradition, and attention to detail.
That is where I see an incredible opportunity for Espeto Mania Grill.
Our concept is built around authentic Brazilian barbecue, using premium cuts of meat, our exclusive homemade Brazilian seasoning, and traditional charcoal grilling. Our seasoning is one of our most closely guarded secrets, and customers constantly ask what makes our meat taste so special. We always smile because that recipe is something we simply cannot reveal!
I believe that as the food industry becomes more competitive, businesses that focus on quality, authenticity, and consistency will stand out.
Our experience at farmers markets and festivals throughout Utah has strengthened that belief. Seeing long lines of customers, receiving incredible feedback, and watching people return to different events specifically for our barbecue has shown us that there is real potential for our concept to grow.
And our vision goes far beyond farmers markets and festivals.
When I imagine Espeto Mania Grill in the coming years, I see multiple locations serving authentic Brazilian barbecue, and eventually, I dream of turning our family business into a successful franchise brand.
Our goal is to create a recognizable name that people associate with premium-quality meat, unforgettable flavor, and an authentic Brazilian barbecue experience.
I envision a future where customers can visit Espeto Mania Grill locations in different cities and eventually different states, knowing they will receive the same exceptional quality, the same signature flavor, and the same welcoming experience that started our journey here in Utah.
We want to develop a business model that can grow while preserving everything that makes our food special, from our carefully selected premium cuts of meat to our secret homemade seasoning and traditional cooking techniques.
Of course, building a successful chain of restaurants and eventually a franchise system takes time, planning, dedication, and hard work. We understand that growth must happen step by step, without ever compromising our standards.
What excites me most is the possibility of taking something that began as a small family dream and turning it into a brand that could one day be recognized across the United States.
I want Espeto Mania Grill to represent more than delicious barbecue. I want it to represent Brazilian culture, entrepreneurship, family values, and the belief that great things can grow from humble beginnings.
In 5 to 10 years, I hope to look back at our early days setting up tents at farmers markets in Utah and see them as the foundation of something much bigger: a growing network of Espeto Mania Grill locations, with the possibility of franchises bringing our authentic Brazilian flavors to communities across America.
No matter how big we become, one thing will never change: our commitment to premium ingredients, our secret family seasoning, authentic charcoal-grilled barbecue, and treating every customer like family.
Our dream is to turn Espeto Mania Grill from a local family business into a nationally recognized Brazilian barbecue brand, one skewer, one location, and eventually one franchise at a time.
Pricing:
- Premium Beef Skewer – $11.00
- Brazilian Chicken Skewer – $10.00
- Chicken Wrapped in Bacon Skewer – $10.00
- Brazilian Sausage Skewer – $10.00
- Brazilian Grilled Cheese Skewer – $7.00
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @espetomaniagrill
