Nando's PERi-PERi Plays with Fire in the South Loop; Chicago Fire Soccer Stars Take Over New Nando's in Roosevelt Collection Manning Grills for Charity; Newest Nando's opens Sunday, July 24

    CHICAGO, IL, July 21, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- On Saturday July 30, Chicago Fire soccer stars will "take over" the Nando's grills at the new South Loop location, delivering succulent PERi-PERi chicken to hungry fans. Nando's will pay it forward by donating 100 percent of sales on July 30 to the Chicago Fire Foundation, which improves the lives of disadvantaged youth in and around Chicago.

"Nando's is thrilled to partner again with the Fire to warm up Chicago," said Burton Heiss, CEO of Nando's PERi-PERi USA.

"It's wonderful to see a company like Nando's invested in this city to join with the Chicago Fire Foundation to give back to the community," added Chicago Fire Foundation Executive Director Jessica Yavitz.

Playing With Fire

Scheduled to appear at Nando's include general manager Nelson Rodriguez, midfielders Matt Polster, Michael Stephens, Joey Calistri, Drew Conner and Alex Morrell, defender Patrick Doody and goalkeepers Matt Lampson and Patrick McLain. They will turn up the heat at Nando's in South Loop with player appearances from 1:30pm to 7:00pm CT on July 30. The restaurant is opened from 11am to 9pm that day, with all sales throughout the day going to the Chicago Fire Foundation.

Seven Chicago Restaurants....and Counting

Nando's moved to Chicago in spring 2015 and has quickly opened five restaurants in the city, plus locations in Naperville and Oak Park. The newest Nando's is located at Roosevelt Collection between W. Roosevelt Rd. and W. Harrison St. at 1005 S. Delano Ct.

Nando's has built an intensely loyal following, from London to the Loop, by providing fresh food in a relaxed atmosphere with friendly service. Nando's is known worldwide for its succulent PERi-PERi chicken, marinated for 24 hours, flame-grilled to perfection, and basted to the customer's preferred flavor and spice.

Every Nando's is painstakingly designed and completely unique, with earthy textures and bright colors that reflect its sunny African-Portuguese heritage. The new Nando's in the Roosevelt Collection is no exception and features a panoramic view of the Loop skyline. With thousands of pieces of original works of art that are a constant reminder of where the restaurant came from, Nando's has become the largest collector of South African contemporary art in the world. In the United States alone, there are more than 600 pieces of original African art in Nando's restaurants. "We believe that authentic contemporary African art can create truly surprising experiences and keep us connected to our roots," Heiss added.

ABOUT CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB

Founded on the 126th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the Chicago Fire Soccer Club entered its 19th Major League Soccer season with six major domestic championship titles including the 1998 MLS Cup and 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups, and 2003 Supporters Shield. Anchoring Chicago's growing soccer fan base, the Fire play at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., located 15 miles from Chicago's Loop. www.Chicago-Fire.com.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO FIRE FOUNDATION

The Chicago Fire's goal on the field is to play hard and win. Its goal off the field is to contribute to the quality of life in Chicago and its surrounding communities. Through the Chicago Fire Foundation, the Fire is able to give back to the community by leveraging its resources and expertise in the area of soccer to provide sports-based youth development and direct-service programs to Chicagoland's underserved communities. Since 1998, the Chicago Fire Foundation, the charitable arm of the Chicago Fire Major League Soccer Team, has made significant contributions to enhance the lives of disadvantaged youth throughout Chicagoland. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $1.8 million dollars in grants and contributions. The Chicago Fire Foundation raises funds through events such as the annual Season Kickoff Luncheon, the Commemorative Jersey Auction, and 50/50 Raffle. For more information about the Chicago Fire Foundation, visit www.chicago-fire.com/community.

WHAT: Grand Opening of the new Nando's in the South Loop

WHEN: Grand Opening is Sunday, July 24, at 11am. Regular restaurant hours are 11am - 10pm, with weekend hours extending until 11pm

WHERE: Nando's PERi-PERi, 1005 South Delano Court in the Roosevelt Collection

CHICAGO FIRE TAKEOVER: The Chicago Fire Takeover is Saturday July 30. Player appearances from 1:30 to 7:00 pm. The restaurant is opened from 11am to 9pm that day, with all sales (excluding alcohol) throughout the day going to the Chicago Fire Foundation

About Nando's PERi-PERi
The first Nando's restaurant opened its doors in 1987 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Since then, the Nando's flame has spread to 23 countries on five continents. Nando's is known worldwide for its succulent PERi-PERi chicken, marinated for 24 hours, flame-grilled to perfection, and basted to the customer's preferred flavor and spice. It's equally renowned for its spicy PERi-PERi, the Bird's Eye chili pepper that indigenous Africans introduced to the Portuguese centuries ago.

Nando's PERi-PERi made its U.S. debut in 2008 with the opening of its first location in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, DC. Nando's PERi-PERi now operates 32 restaurants in and around Chicago, Baltimore and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.nandosperiperi.com, follow @NandosUSA on Twitter or Like Us at Nando's PERi-PERi USA on Facebook.

# # #