After an eight-year hiatus, pastry chef Vicky Gurovich has reclaimed her position as the head of the hotel's pastry department, and she’s on a mission to take The Nellie's legendary afternoon tea to new culinary heights.
From 2009 to 2014, Gurovich served as the pastry chef at the Mount Nelson. However, she left to join the opening team at The Westcliff Four Seasons in Johannesburg, an experience she describes as “tremendously thrilling and immensely enlightening”. Afterwards, she showed off her skills at the acclaimed Pierneef at La Motte restaurant in Franschhoek before embarking on a seven-year adventure in New Zealand.
Towards the end of 2022, Gurovich decided to return to Cape Town and her place at the iconic Mount Nelson.
As the colder weather sets in, Gurovich has collaborated with the hotel's new executive chef, George Jardine, to infuse the sweet and savoury offerings of the afternoon tea with even more tantalising flavours.
Autumn pastries have been transformed into irresistible temptations, boasting layers of exquisite flavours. Presented on elegant tiered stands, these melt-in-your-mouth delights include butternut and roasted vanilla custard mousse, apricot and rooibos delice, macadamia nut tart with spiced Chantilly cream and salted caramel, and vanilla mousse with a touch of salted caramel.
Your eyes will be irresistibly drawn to Gurovich’s table of seasonal cakes in the lounge, a sight that exudes heavenly baking. Indulge in a frangipani tart, a vanilla bavarois with caramelised apple, a moist carrot cake loaf, or a baked cheesecake. Of course, the afternoon tea spread also features delightful fluffy scones and seasonal surprises.
For those with a savoury palate, classics such as cucumber fennel and cream cheese finger sandwiches still grace the menu. However, chef George Jardine has introduced newcomers that will surely captivate your taste buds, such as soy-cured salmon on a charred aubergine rice roll and a spinach tart with whipped feta.
And what about the tea itself? Connoisseurs have a choice of more than 60 premium loose-leaf and flowering teas, including local infusions like buchu, rooibos, and honeybush. Can't make up your mind? Opt for the signature Mount Nelson Tea – a sublime blend of Darjeeling, Kenya, Assam, Keemun, Yunnan, and Ceylon, with an added ingredient that sets it apart: pink rose petals, lending a beautiful blush colour that complements the hotel's iconic pink walls.
Coffee enthusiasts are also catered to, with an impeccable brew made from the finest sustainably sourced single-origin beans from Ethiopia and Rwanda.
And for those seeking something stronger, don't forget to ask about the menu featuring premium whiskies, cognacs, and liqueurs. As the saying goes, “Tea time is a moment of tranquillity and comfort, where the world pauses and the aroma of steeped leaves embraces the soul.”
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