Chef
Speaker
Gil Fernandes
Chef at Fortaleza do Guincho* (Cascais, Portugal)
In Gil Fernandes' kitchen, Portuguese produce is treated like royalty and sustainability is the guiding principle. His dishes reflect the region, especially the mountains and the Atlantic, while paying homage to tradition.
Gil Vieira Fernandes was born in Ribamar in western Portugal, a region shaped by Atlantic winds and the cycles of nature. From a young age, he was inspired by his grandparents to respect the seasons. He grew up surrounded by the scent of his grandmother's medicinal herbs, his father's devotion to farming and his mother's precise movements in the bakery.
It was only natural that he would follow a career in cooking. He began at the Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril, and then completed internships with renowned chefs such as Luís Baena, Dieter Koschina and Martín Berasategui.
His desire to learn then took him to the Netherlands to work with the legendary Jonnie Boer, a giant of world gastronomy, and to the Algarve to train in Hans Neuner's kitchen. In 2015, he joined the team at the Fortaleza do Guincho restaurant in Cascais, which has held a Michelin star since 2001. In 2018, he became the restaurant's executive chef.
