Chef Wesli Jacobs brings heart and heritage to the table at Heirloom
Chef Wesli Jacobs unveils a seasonal menu at Heirloom, celebrating South African flavours and heritage cooking just in time for summer in Cape Town.
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Cape Grace’s flagship restaurant, Heirloom, has entered a new chapter under Chef Wesli Jacobs, and his debut menu is every bit as assured as the man himself.
Just in time for summer in Cape Town, Jacobs has unveiled a seasonal offering that celebrates local ingredients, heritage cooking, and an honest approach to flavours.
Since taking over the kitchen in May, Jacobs has been quietly reshaping Heirloom’s identity, steering it away from culinary theatrics and back towards food that speaks with authenticity.
His philosophy is simple: no unnecessary embellishments, no gimmicks - just produce treated with respect, cooked with confidence, and plated with purpose.
“For me, this new menu is about weaving a narrative of South Africa through its flavours,” he explains. “It’s cooking from the heart, a tribute to our land, our people, and the traditions that continue to inspire us.”
What's on the menu?
Abalobi sashimi of just-caught linefish comes alive with candied chilli, avocado emulsion and grapefruit - bright, clean, and coastal.
Abalobi sashimi.
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A 1kg Mozambican lobster is paired with biryani rice, hand-cut chips and peri-peri sauce: generous, celebratory, and unfussy.
But the standout is the Karoo pap and lamb, revealed beneath a cloche that releases the evocative smoke of a proper braai.
Dessert is playful yet precise: a milk tart mille-feuille, where French pastry meets South African nostalgia in a marriage that feels both cheeky and brilliant.
Milk tart mille-feuille.
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From October, the poolside at the Cape Grace reopens as a Riviera-style retreat with Mediterranean fare and cocktails, while The Library now pours top Champagnes and MCCs by the glass.
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