Brazilian steakhouse in the Northland works to reopen after significant fire and water damage

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.

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Em Chamas, a Brazilian steakhouse at 6101 NW 63rd Terrace in Kansas City's Northland, is working to reopen after a fire in mid-September.

While the blaze was largely contained to the roof, the water used to put out the fire soaked the restaurant's interior. The water damage could take months to repair, according to the restaurant's owner.

"It's kind of helpless, you know," Sam Silvio lamented. "There's nothing you can do."

KSHB 41/Fabian Rosales

Em Chamas is a Portuguese phrase. Silvo said the restaurant's name "literally translates to 'on fire."'

According to management, the fire started somewhere above the kitchen. The restaurant itself escaped most of the fire damage — but the water was another story.

"Water damage, that's the main part of the damage," Silvio told KSHB 41 News reporter Fernanda Silva, a native of Brazil. "The roof is, you know, it's necessarily damaged from the fire and some of the equipment up there. But the restaurant itself, especially the kitchen back here, that was just water damage. It just soaked everything."

KSHB 41/Fabian Rosales

General manager Elcio Cunha described what he found when he walked in the restaurant after the fire.

"We just came inside and saw everything soaking wet," Cunha said. "It's kind of sad to see the place the way it is."

The restaurant employs nearly 40 people, and Silvio said the weight of keeping them employed has been significant.

"There's a lot of families that maybe don't depend completely, but at least 50% of them, this is their sole source of income. And so it's a lot of responsibility, a lot of weight, a lot of weight that you bear and worry," Silvio said.

KSHB 41/Fabian Rosales

"What am I going to do? I've got to keep my employees employed if possible" Silvio said. "And customers, how long is it going to take? And then how long is it going to take for the customers to come back once we reopen?"

KSHB 41/Fabian Rosales

He says insurance is currently covering payroll, but the timing of the closure is difficult. The restaurant will likely miss what would be its busiest stretch of the year.

"December is the busiest time of year. And then Restaurant Week in January. That's huge. Right now, it's not looking very promising," Silvio said.

To keep the business visible and employees engaged, Em Chamas plans to operate a 30-foot catering and barbecue trailer near the restaurant that offers Brazilian specialties and hog jaw barbecue.

"We'll be able to at least have somewhere for our people to go and maybe get a picanha," Silvio said. "Trying to find ways to keep us in the public's mind, in our customers mind, and find ways to keep our employees engaged. You know, they're getting paid, but we want to keep them engaged and know that we're going to reopen."

KSHB 41/Fabian Rosales

The closure also forced the owners to act on a longtime plan.

"We had always talked about remodeling. So now we were forced to," Silvio said. "It's life. That's life. I mean, you just, life's going to hit you. You got to get up and keep fighting."

The Kansas City Fire Department said the investigation into the Sept. 13 fire was referred to Kansas City Police Department's Bomb and Arson Unit because a member of the KCFD is affiliated with the business.

I reached out to KCPD’s Bomb and Arson Unit. They said they would provide information on Tuesday.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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