DALLAS, Feb. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fogo de Chão, the internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil known for its elevated churrasco dining experience, today announced the launch of “Selma,” its new AI-powered voice assistant created to bring the warmth and hospitality of the brand’s dining rooms to every guest phone call.
Selma is affectionately named for Selma Oliveira, Fogo’s matriarch, Chief Culture Officer and one of the most influential leaders behind the brand’s service philosophy. Reflecting her legacy of care, connection, and genuine hospitality, the Selma voice assistant now answers every guest call across all 88 U.S. locations ensuring no one is left without support and freeing up team members to focus on delivering the exceptional hospitality that Fogo is known for.
Oliveira, whose voice was recorded in English, Portuguese, and Spanish for the technology, has been part of the Fogo family for nearly 30 years. She rose from becoming the brand’s first U.S. general manager to serving as a trusted member of the C-suite.
“Our new Selma technology helps us extend Fogo hospitality beyond our four walls,” said Barry McGowan, CEO of Fogo de Chão. “She welcomes every guest with the same warmth and attentiveness our teams bring to the table, ensuring their experience begins the moment they reach out to us.”
Restaurants across the industry receive millions of calls annually that can sometimes be missed, often due to high volume during peak hours or guest outreach happening outside operating times. For Fogo, Selma now answers 100% of U.S. location calls, handling everything from frequently asked questions to checking availability and making real-time reservations. She also helps guests join Fogo Rewards and seamlessly transfers calls to in-restaurant team members whenever a human touch is needed.
Early results show Selma is already transforming the guest experience and restaurant operations:
- 95% guest satisfaction
- 88% booking completion rate
- 40% of guests who discuss Rewards with Selma request an SMS to enroll
- Projected to generate 250,000+ reservations in her first 12 months
- Expected efficiency in labor, enabling managers to invest in labor to better enhance the guest experience
By ensuring every call is answered with consistency and care, Selma enables in-house Fogo team members to focus completely on delivering exceptional, in-person hospitality rooted in Southern Brazilian tradition.
“Selma represents the best of who we are as a brand,” McGowan added. “She extends our culture of genuine, heartfelt service into a new part of the guest journey and allows our teams to devote even more time to creating extraordinary experiences in our dining rooms.”
Guests can speak with Selma simply by calling their local Fogo de Chão restaurant.
For more information about Fogo, please visit https://fogo.com/
About Fogo de Chão
Fogo de Chão (fogo-dee-shown) is a 46 year old internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil that elevates the culinary art of churrasco – the art of roasting high-quality cuts of meat over an open flame – into a cultural dining experience. Fogo is famed for its prix fixe Full Churrasco Experience that offers a continuous selection of high-quality proteins butchered daily by gaucho chefs, simply seasoned and grilled to create a craveable salty bark, then carved tableside. The nutrient-dense Market Table offers a selection of wholesome seasonal salads, charcuterie, exotic fruit, superfoods and more. From celebratory to everyday occasions, Fogo provides selections for every daypart, including All-Day Happy Hour at Bar Fogo, Weekday Lunch, Dinner, and Weekend Brazilian Brunch. Guests can enhance their experience with offerings ranging from a shareable Wagyu New York Strip, South American wines, and more. For locations and to book a reservation to experience the fire of Fogo, visit fogo.com.
Fogo de Chão introduces “Selma,” a new ai-powered voice assistant inspired by brand matriarch
MEDIA CONTACT:
ICR for Fogo
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1b759cf0-22e5-441b-87b5-3382fd9e923e
