From the vision of the Cacace family to the Jumeirah brand: the story of a hotel that has become one of the Mediterranean’s most important culinary hubs, where haute cuisine, hospitality, art, and design define luxury in Anacapri.
From a visionary hotel capable of changing the fate of Anacapri to a culinary destination that today features a two-Michelin-star restaurant, iconic beach clubs, signature cuisine, and new venues for socializing. A journey through the Jumeirah Capri Palace, where hospitality is expressed—above all—through food.
The History
If Anacapri is today as sought-after a destination as Capri—loved by an international clientele seeking tranquility, authenticity, and a more discreet form of luxury—much of the credit goes precisely to that vision conceived over sixty years ago by the Cacace family.
Long before high-end tourism discovered the island’s more secluded side, Anacapri was a farming village—the quiet sister of the glamorous Piazzetta. With no harbor and accessible for centuries only via the Scala Fenicia, carved into the rock, it lived far from the spotlight that shone on Capri. Here, vineyards, olive groves, and vegetable gardens were cultivated, while the island’s main town was building its international reputation.
It was against this backdrop that one of the most fascinating entrepreneurial stories in Italian hospitality took shape. In 1958, Mario and Rita Cacace opened a small clothing store. Their success was such that it allowed the couple to gradually purchase the surrounding buildings, combine them, and transform them into a hotel. And so, after Mario’s passing, it was their son Tonino who further expanded the family’s vision, bringing contemporary art, design, fine dining, and an international flair to the hotel—a vision destined to redefine the very identity of Anacapri. Today, that story continues under the Jumeirah banner, yet the original spirit remains intact.
Works by Arnaldo Pomodoro, Mimmo Paladino, Giorgio de Chirico, and Velasco Vitali coexist alongside temporary installations and collaborations with Galleria Continua, transforming the hotel’s common areas into an exhibition space. The five new Mariorita Suites, designed by Patricia Urquiola, also embody this philosophy. The name pays homage to the founders’ first store, almost as if to bridge the past and the present. The Spanish designer reinterprets Capri through a design language characterized by textured surfaces and hues that evoke the Mediterranean.
Every space interacts with the landscape, creating a whirlwind of total well-being: the large mosaic pool, the Capri Medical Spa with its famous Leg School® treatment patented by Professor Canonaco, the 72 rooms (half of which are currently undergoing a complete renovation), gardens, and expansive views of the outdoors—all in a refined balance between architecture and the island’s heritage. But it would be an understatement to describe the Jumeirah Capri Palace merely as a luxury hotel. Today, in fact, its true revolution lies in its cuisine.
Here, dining has become the engine of the entire complex, to the point of being its driving force. Just consider that every day this veritable gastronomic ecosystem serves up to 1,200 guests across its various venues, with a kitchen staff of over four hundred. These figures paint a picture that is virtually unique in the Italian luxury hospitality scene. It’s no coincidence that the chefs themselves now openly refer to it as a “gastronomic hub”—a term that perfectly encapsulates the identity of the Jumeirah Capri Palace.
From the haute cuisine of L'Olivo (the island’s only two-Michelin-starred restaurant) to the waterfront lunches at Il Riccio, through the down-to-earth conviviality of a-Ma-Re, all the way to the international flair of Zuma and the summer’s latest addition, the new Nox Capri club, designed to extend the day with music and cultural events. Coordinating this vast and multifaceted gastronomic universe is Salvatore Elefante, now Executive Chef and Culinary Director at Jumeirah.
The Chef
A native of Gragnano, born in 1981, he joined the Capri Palace in 2007 as a chef de partie under Oliver Glowig. He has worked in virtually every aspect of the hotel’s culinary operations, from L’Olivo to Il Riccio, until he took over as head of the entire culinary department. “Our roots are Mediterranean, but our outlook is cosmopolitan,” he says. “We strive to interpret the culinary heritage of our region with curiosity and a contemporary sensibility,” he adds.
A philosophy rooted in Campania’s signature ingredients—San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and citrus fruits—while never losing sight of seasonality and the natural rhythm of the ingredients. For Elefante, gastronomic luxury today means the ability to leave a lasting impression. “ “When a guest returns home carrying with them an emotion, a flavor, or a story, then we’ve achieved our goal,” he explains. And indeed, L’Olivo retains the elegance of a fine dining establishment, yet surprises with its relaxed atmosphere. Live music accompanies the service, soft lighting reflects off the hand-crafted glass lamps, and small olive tree bonsai decorate the tables during the day.
L'Olivo Restaurant, Where the Mediterranean Comes to Life with Two Michelin Stars
L'Olivo’s signature style lies in a defining ingredient or a technique that refines the flavor. In short, it pays homage to traditional Campania home cooking while elevating it. And so, the appetizer takes the form of an amuse-bouche: a thin layer of cuttlefish encases a purée of spollichini beans, followed by a cannellini bean cream and a surprising escarole infusion.
This is precisely the philosophy described by Head Chef Vincenzo Tedeschi—a 33-year-old native of Ischia—who joined the Jumeirah Capri Palace in 2020. “Cuttlefish with beans is a simple dish—the kind we eat at home during the week. Yet here, we incorporate up to fifteen different techniques—including the use of a special Korean pot—to satisfy even the most curious palate, without straying from the original recipe.”
A cuisine that, however, never forgets its role in hospitality: “We’re a hotel restaurant. Our mission is to celebrate our roots without forgetting that we have guests from all over the world sitting before us.” And yet… he pauses to think for a moment and confesses that “once someone asked me for spaghetti with meatballs. I just couldn’t bring myself to say yes!” he laughs. But let’s get back to the menu. Here, where capers—a constant presence on the island—tastefully weave their way through the entire dining experience. You’ll find them, in the form of marinated leaves, in the splendid B Balfegó tuna ventrescaB : lightly seared to preserve its natural richness, accompanied by a slightly tangy salad of raspberries, tomato hearts, corn on the cob, celery, sweet corn, and arugula; rounded out by a spicy tomato sauce marbled with cilantro oil.
On the menu for fifteen years, it has become a house classic, so much so that it inspired the “La Recherche” menu: a Proust-style exploration of the restaurant’s now-iconic dishes. The surprise comes with the tomato soup served in two courses, almost a small stylistic exercise in seasonality. First, a tomato in gelatin with basil pesto and ricotta, immersed in a cold sauce; then the same concept transforms into a warm broth made with Datterino and San Marzano tomatoes, enveloping homemade tagliolini that has been lightly charred over a Japanese charcoal grill for a delicate smoky note. A dish that shifts in temperature and texture without losing its narrative flow.
Among the most surprising dishes, the grouper aged for three weeks stands out, served with a puff pastry tartlet filled with lime-marinated mango, daikon, and radishes, complemented by an intense date-and-lamb reduction. It’s Tedeschi’s signature dish: “It represents me because it reflects my approach to cooking. I’m fascinated by the concept of time as it applies to food—the aging of the fish, the evolution of its fat, and the balance between acidity and bitterness”. Before dessert comes a small tribute to the region and the Mediterranean: a cheese from Benevento made primarily from sheep’s milk, encased in a crisp wafer with dried fruit and lemon confit, flavored with wild herbs gathered directly from the island.
The dessert course, on the other hand, is the creation of Pierre Hermé, who captures the essence of Capri with his legendary French elegance. A memorable dessert combines sea urchin pulp, grapefruit sorbet, and caramelized puff pastry, followed by a mille-feuille with vanilla mascarpone and coffee ice cream. Then there are Neapolitan zeppole to dip in chocolate or vanilla sauce, and a refined selection of petit fours that brings the meal to a light and delicate close.
A Major Culinary Hub
The concept of a culinary hub extends beyond restaurants. At the Jumeirah Capri Palace, in fact, the culinary experience begins first thing in the morning with a breakfast open to non-residents as well. This is not a common choice for a hotel of this caliber, but it aligns perfectly with the goal of transforming the property into a landmark for the entire island. It is perhaps the time of day that Salvatore Elefante cherishes most.
Every morning, he makes sure the croissants have the right flakiness, that the fruit is cut with precision, and that every detail meets the restaurant’s standards. This attention to detail shows just how much the hospitality begins long before the Michelin-starred dinner. The buffet complements an à la carte menu of sweet and savory dishes, while the pastry kitchen is hard at work from the early hours of dawn. Overseeing it all is Carmine Di Nardi, who is in charge of the hotel’s entire pastry production, from the breakfast pastries to the desserts at Il Riccio.
Next to him is Roberto Troiano, one of the most intriguing stories in the team: after completely changing his life a little over three years ago, he fell in love with the art of laminating dough, and today he creates impeccable viennoiserie. Among the specialties, the Danish pastry filled with a sweet caprese, the traditional Ischian croissant, and fluffy cinnamon rolls stand out, embodying a natural dialogue between Neapolitan tradition and international taste. This is yet another confirmation that, at the Jumeirah Capri Palace, there are no “minor” moments: from breakfast to after-dinner treats, every experience contributes to building a unique, cohesive culinary narrative.
“I believe ours is one of the most dynamic culinary hubs in Italy. Every restaurant in the hotel has its own identity and engages with guests from different cultures and backgrounds. “The spirit I strive to convey is one of dedication and empathy toward our guests,” explains Chef Elefante. While L’Olivo represents the hotel’s most refined culinary soul, Il Riccio embodies its sunnier, more Mediterranean side. Overlooking the Grotta Azzurra, it is one of Italy’s most iconic beach clubs. The Dior-clad sea lounge sets the stage for an unparalleled seafood cuisine, led by Head Chef Anna Vichi: the fresh catch on full display, the crudités, and the must-try spaghetti with sea urchins find their natural culmination in the famous Sala delle Tentazioni, a true temple of Neapolitan pastry art.
Here, lunch seems to go on forever, accompanied by the sound of the waves and a view that alone is worth the trip. The culinary language is quite different at a-Ma-Re, which opened just two years ago and revives the folk traditions of Campania’s cuisine, transforming them into a contemporary narrative. Chef Nicola Maiello draws on family memories: the pizza—created in collaboration with Pizzaingrammi—is shared in the center of the table, to be eaten together as an appetizer. 'O pere e 'o musso and the hot octopus broth make their way from the ancient alleys of Naples into a seafood salad; spaghetti with garlic, olive oil, and chili pepper is enriched with hazelnuts and walnuts, just as it was on festive tables. “We want to reawaken a memory,” says the chef.
On the rooftop, meanwhile, Zuma Capri offers a window onto the world. This contemporary take on the Japanese izakaya engages with the Gulf of Naples in a fusion of the East and the Mediterranean that perfectly reflects the hotel’s cosmopolitan spirit. And then, new for this season, the brand-new “Nox Capri” club, designed as a space dedicated to live music, artistic performances, and cultural events. Another piece of a ecosystem that goes far beyond dining and transforms the Jumeirah Capri Palace into a hub of contemporary social life.
CONTACT:
Via Capodimonte, 14, 80071 Anacapri, NA;
Phone: 081 978 0111;
