Chefs from Brazilian restaurant, Viva Brazil, bring smiles to the faces of hundreds of asylum seekers this week after preparing a BBQ feast.

The Viva team, led by Executive Chef Miro Zahorec, prepared a selection of halal meats, rice dishes and salads for more than 200 asylum seekers at Asylum Link Merseyside in Toxteth.

Andy Aldrich, owner of the Viva Brazil chain of restaurants, said:

“After our Liverpool site was struck by fire in the summer our chefs and staff felt they wanted to do something with their time while we are refurbishing and do something positive.

“We visited Asylum Link Merseyside and identified a need so the team decided to lay on three Brazilian feasts.”

In addition to cooking a fresh BBQ feast, the Viva team is also spending time working the asylum seekers offering food hygiene training and advice.

Andy added:

“Many members of the team have been off work and they all kept saying they wanted to do something to help people – we felt the BBQ feast would be a positive thing to do – but rather than just finishing with cooking a BBQ we decided to take it a step further and do something to help these people by providing them with essential life skills.”

Ewan Roberts from Asylum Link Merseyside said:

“Everyone is excited by this, from the regular volunteer cooks, who are getting a bit of a holiday, through to the 200 Refugees using the centre every day. For so long we have been like a voice in the wilderness but having others offer their time and efforts to help is fantastic.”

Viva Brail will open a pop up in Liverpool city centre on Thursday, serving breakfasts, lunch and dinner.

The pop up will open at the former Café Rouge site in Metquarter, Victoria Street, while on-going refurbishment work continues at the Castle Street restaurant.

This will re-launch at the end of November.