i. Biography
“So, cooking here in Guincho is like creating in my natural habitat.” In Portuguese coastal cooking, that statement carries practical meaning: rock, tide, mountain, garden, fish, seafood, seaweed and weather are not scenery but working conditions. At the restaurant in Cascais, Portugal, executive chef Gil Fernandes cooks from that pressure of place, with the Atlantic close enough to define appetite, seasoning and supply. Portuguese coastal cuisine depends on tradition, flavor, quality, seasonal products and the best of Portugal without freezing heritage into display. At this Cascais address, Fernandes applies that philosophy through proximity: the sea, the changing weather and the ingredients moving with the coast’s rhythm. The cooking draws from shoreline memory while keeping the plate clear, restrained and tied to origin.
The Route
Professional formation in restaurant kitchens is built through repetition, station discipline and exposure to different standards of decision-making. Early in that formation, Gil Fernandes held a career start / kitchen role with chef Luís Baena at Tivoli Lisbon, Portugal, then worked as an intern at Vila Joya, where precision, elegance and close reading of ingredients were part of the craft environment. A broader kitchen education can sharpen how a restaurant expresses place and intention. Fernandes took a kitchen role with Martín Berasategui at MB in Spain, followed by a kitchen role with Jonnie Boer at De Librije in Netherlands. Back in Portugal, kitchen role / training with Hans Neuner at Restaurant Ocean in Algarve, Portugal, added another maritime frame to a formation shaped by exacting standards. Returning to a site can turn technique into a more specific language. At Fortaleza do Guincho in Cascais, Portugal, Fernandes was a team member from 2015–2018, working again at the Atlantic edge that would define its later direction. That experience led to his current post: Gil is executive chef of the restaurant (since 2018).
Today
Atlantic-inspired cooking at this address is built on fish, seafood, seaweed and seasonal Portuguese products. As part of Relais & Châteaux, the restaurant works from the immediate character of Cascais: ocean pull, mountain contour and the limits and advantages of the season, with Fernandes directing the kitchen through that local frame. Sustainability functions as a production principle rather than decoration. In this kitchen, it supports cooking that reflects the region’s mountains and Atlantic while paying homage to tradition. The table reads as Cascais through brine, freshness and the working relationship between land and sea, with menus shaped by local textures and conditions rather than by an abstract coastal idea.
Honors
Gil Fernandes has received Michelin Guide — Michelin star at Fortaleza do Guincho (2018).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Gil
What is Gil Fernandes's day job?
Gil Fernandes is chef at Fortaleza do Guincho — Modern European, Modern Cuisine.
Where did Gil Fernandes work before?
Earlier in their career, Gil Fernandes worked at Tivoli Lisbon, Vila Joya, and MB.
What is Gil Fernandes known for?
Portuguese coastal and Atlantic-inspired cuisine based on fish, seafood, seaweed and seasonal Portuguese products.
