Guido Fejles brings his culinary concept from television to the Turin province: GAF, an irreverent “bistronomy” restaurant, is born in his grandfather's former sawmill, offering evenings filled with irony, cocktails, and contemporary cuisine.
The chef and the restaurant
Guido Fejiles is a name that many fans of MasterChef Italia remember fondly. In the eighth edition of the program, in 2019, he stood out for his passion for traditional Piedmontese cuisine and his charm. Eliminated during the semifinals, he took home fifth place, and today he describes his television experience with his characteristic irony, made up of good-natured self-deprecation. Today, he has found his niche not in the kitchen, but as a contemporary restaurateur, opening the restaurant GAF in Cambiano, a small town a few kilometers from Turin. The restaurant, located in his grandfather's former sawmill, has quickly become a reference point for lovers of good food and signature cocktails.
In collaboration with chef Christian Robles, originally from Peru, Guido has created what he likes to call “bistronomy,” a neologism that combines the terms bistro, meaning an informal restaurant, and gastronomy, meaning haute cuisine, in an atmosphere where attention to detail evokes an urban style that is elegant without being overly formal. A place that welcomes you from aperitif to after dinner, with the opportunity to drink and eat well, without compromising on quality. The ingredients are all seasonal, sourced as much as possible from local producers and not from intensive farming, also making the most of less popular cuts of meat, such as the offal, in an ethic they define as “common sense.”
Each season also has its own special menu dedicated entirely to a product of excellence: in spring, Santena asparagus is showcased, while in autumn it is truffles, with specially designed dishes and pairings. Mixology is another important part of the offering, with a cocktail menu created by bar manager Paolo Beatino and expertly prepared by resident head bartender Nicolò Canali. Also interesting is the Passaporto dei Negroni: a small handbook to be stamped to remember to try all the versions of the famous aperitif offered by GAF. Each Negroni rests in a 3-liter barrel, with different woods and aromas. Once you have tasted them all, you are entitled to a Bottomless Negroni, a drink that evolves every evening with the addition of cinchona, Extra Dry vermouth, and Martini.
And to get around the recent tightening of security measures regarding alcohol consumption, the drinks menu guides guests toward informed choices with a fun traffic light system: alcoholic cocktails are accompanied by non-alcoholic and low-alcohol alternatives, all while respecting the original flavors. The quality at GAF is extremely high, but the atmosphere is light-hearted. Guido always welcomes you with a smile and entertains you with amusing anecdotes, often autobiographical, sometimes irreverent comments and that welcoming yet slightly irreverent charisma that made us love him during the famous TV show for aspiring chefs. Even the graphics and texts on the menus reflect this attitude, with a note addressed to customers “who are not always right” and clarifying that at GAF there is no place for “the rude, the xenophobic, the uncivilized, and all that rabble of people who, for one reason or another, have not yet learned how to behave in the world”, all this to protect those who just want to relax and enjoy their dinner.
The dishes
And if the premises speak for themselves, the dishes are equally eloquent: the menu includes more traditional offerings, such as Rossini-style minced meat or the very Piedmontese plin di faraona (guinea fowl pasta), but also fish dishes, such as brandacujun, seppie in zimino (cuttlefish in tomato sauce), or the summer ceviche di amberjack (which we hope will return to the menu soon). The seasonal dishes, currently dedicated to asparagus, enhance the flavors of the land. In autumn, their “Trifula” menu is a stroll through the colors and scents of the forest and has left a lasting impression on us with its noteworthy risotto “con l'osso” alla Nino Bergese, obviously sprinkled with truffles.
The atmosphere is modern, with a beautiful open kitchen dominating the room alongside the cocktail bar, and features artwork from the nearby Société Interludio art gallery, founded by Stefania Margiacchi. In the summer, the garden becomes the real gem: a magical place to relax and forget all your worries.
So, if it is true that “good food nourishes the body, but good spirits nourish the soul,” at Guido Fejles' GAF you leave feeling doubly satisfied. Between a Negroni in a barrel, a plin that tastes like home, and a sharp joke (not just about meat), here we toast to intelligent conviviality and cuisine that has the courage to be cultured without taking itself too seriously. Because at GAF, you eat, drink, laugh, and go home with a story to tell.
Contacts
GAF:
Via Torino, 3, 10020 Cambiano TO
Phone: 333 354 9124
