Mount Nelson Unveils Amura By Ángel León Introducing A Visionary Marine Led Dining Experience To Cape Town

Where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet at the foot of Table Mountain, a new culinary chapter unfolds at Mount Nelson, a Belmond hotel, Cape Town, with the official opening of Amura by Ángel León. For the first time outside of his home country, Spain, Michelin-starred chef Ángel León brings his pioneering culinary philosophy across hemispheres to Cape Town as culinary director of the new restaurant.

“To cook in Cape Town is to feel the ocean from another angle, another culture, another heartbeat,” says chef Ángel León. “Here the sea speaks with a different salt, a different light. Amura is born from the desire to celebrate those nuances… We didn’t come to impose; we came to learn.”

A visionary chef arrives in the Cape
At his core a humble fisherman, Ángel León has revolutionised global gastronomy through his profound commitment to understanding and preserving the ocean’s ecosystems. Together with his brother Carlos, he now brings that vision to life at Amura, a deeply personal venture rooted in their father’s maritime legacy and lifelong connection to the water.

At their acclaimed flagship Aponiente, holder of three Michelin stars and the first Michelin Green Star in Andalusia, the brothers have championed marine preservation by transforming undervalued ocean species such as phytoplankton, Zostera marina sea grain, by-catch, and even “marine honey” into haute cuisine marvels.

A menu shaped by the sea
Guided by head chef Guillermo Salazar – a Culinary Institute of America graduate and seasoned leader within the Aponiente group – Amura’s menu is a dialogue between Andalusia and the Cape. Salazar’s illustrious career spans Eleven Madison Park, Arzak, Akelare, and Gramercy Tavern, bringing technical mastery and poetic restraint to the plate.

His debut menu at Amura showcases the ocean’s depth, texture, and mystery through dishes both elemental and transportive:

• Plankton risotto – electric green, deeply savoury, with 50x more Omega-3 than olive oil; a dish with the pure, tidal umami of the open sea.
• Yellowtail tartare with escabeche dressing – a signature from Aponiente reimagined with Cape citrus and coastal herbs.
• Catch of the day with pickled Cape kelp – honouring the cold Atlantic, lifted by briny, hand-foraged kelp.
• Pickled West Coast mussels with seaweed-dusted chips.
• Saldanha Bay oysters with Silverthorn “River Dragon” bubbly – a bright, celebratory pairing with Colombard, one of the Cape’s very earliest grape varieties.

Beyond the plate, the drinks programme is equally innovative:

• Kelp martini – Cape St Blaize’s bespoke gin for Amura shaken with kelp-infused olive brine; mineral, cold, and coastal.
• Bamboesbay Sauvignon Blanc (Fryer’s Cove, Atlantic-aged) – bottles are matured for two weeks on the ocean floor, infusing them with a salinity and minerality so vivid “you can taste the sea.”
• AA Badenhorst Palomino – a West Coast expression of a classic Spanish varietal, linking Andalusia and Africa in a single pour.

At the front of house, Amura’s general manager Markus Fiedler brings many years of refined hospitality experience, from The Test Kitchen and Salsify at The Roundhouse in Cape Town to Copenhagen’s Noma and Geranium ecosystems, and senior roles across Switzerland. Known for precision, warmth, and immersive storytelling, he is uniquely equipped to guide Amura’s ambitious vision.

A cinematic space: where the ocean meets the golden age of travel
Designed by internationally acclaimed South African interior architect Tristan du Plessis, Amura is inspired by the poetry of the sea and the romance of grand ocean liners from a bygone era. Crafted timber, rich leathers, rattan, and curved forms translate into a contemporary, luxurious cinematic design.

Guests enter a room washed in deep greens and kelp-forest shadows, warmed by timber and burnished bronze. The centrepiece is a spectacular double-height wine library – the sculptural anchor of the room – housing dedicated champagne, red, and white selections, accessible by a classic library ladder. It is both theatre and cellar; function and art.

Intimate lighting echoes the filtered glow of underwater forests, while gentle curves and tactile surfaces evoke the hull of a ship gliding through deep water. The open kitchen forms the pulse of the space – a stage where flame, steam, and brine intermingle in real time.

A shared purpose: ocean consciousness at the Nellie
Much like Mount Nelson’s longstanding commitment to heritage, community, and responsible sourcing, Amura is built on purpose. From the use of overlooked marine species to botanicals harvested from Mount Nelson’s own gardens, every detail is crafted with care, integrity, and deep environmental respect.

“Mount Nelson has always been a sanctuary shaped by its surroundings,” says Patrick Fisher, general manager of Mount Nelson. “With Amura, we honour our oceans, our heritage, and the beauty of the Cape through the visionary lens of chef Ángel León.”

Amura by Ángel León is now open to diners all year round. To book a table, please contact [email protected].