Other
Wesli Jacobs
Chef
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Wesli Jacobs is the Executive Chef — Cape Grace, A Fairmont Managed Hotel (Cape Town, South Africa). The plate work under his direction is built around contrast: coastline against interior, freshness against smoke, precision against memory. Abalobi sashimi arrives with linefish caught just hours before, candied chili, avocado emulsion, and grapefruit; Karoo pap and vleis comes under a cloche that opens onto the smell of a proper braai. In both cases, the method is controlled and the references are clear: local product, familiar flavour, and a finish that reads as deliberate rather than decorative.
The Climb
Since 2025, the Executive Chef role at Cape Grace has placed Wesli Jacobs at the center of the hotel’s culinary identity. That position demands steady execution and the ability to turn local references into fine-dining form without losing their meaning. The authority in the kitchen is built less on display than on accumulation: experience gathered over time, then put to work with discipline.
Today
At Cape Grace, Jacobs shapes a menu rooted in South African sourcing and memory, but presented with contemporary restraint. His own framing is plain: “This new menu weaves a narrative of South Africa through its flavours.” It is a useful description of the work on the plate, where the point is not quotation for its own sake, but the way each element supports a recognisable flavour story. When he says, “It’s cooking from the heart, with deep respect for where we come from,” that respect shows up in the handling: measured compositions, clear intent, and no excess gesture.
Signature
Wesli Jacobs’ signature dishes include Abalobi sashimi, one-kilogram Mozambican lobster, Karoo pap and vleis, and milk tart mille feuille. The range is telling in trade terms: immediate freshness in the sashimi, scale and presence in the lobster, comfort and ceremony in the pap and vleis, and layered sweetness in the mille feuille. What binds them is not a single style marker but a consistent approach to familiar flavours, handled with polish and restraint.
In Their Words “It’s cooking from the heart, with deep respect for where we come from.” “This new menu weaves a narrative of South Africa through its flavours.”
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Wesli
What is Wesli Jacobs known for?
He is known for the Cape Grace menu and serves dishes such as Abalobi sashimi and Karoo pap and vleis.
What are Wesli Jacobs's most notable roles?
He is the Executive Chef — Cape Grace, A Fairmont Managed Hotel (Cape Town, South Africa), and has held an Executive Chef role at Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa.
