Elysium

The story

Elysium Dúrcal – Contemporary Fine Dining by Chef Michael Sandoval, Michelin Recommended

Elysium

In the quiet village of Melegís, near Dúrcal in the Valle de Lecrín, Elysium brings a distinctly personal vision of contemporary fine dining to the Granada countryside. The restaurant is the realisation of a long-held dream by Chef Michael Sandoval and General Manager Jasmijn Saft, a couple whose combined experience spans Michelin-starred kitchens in the United States and Europe.

Sandoval’s career began in Las Vegas with the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. By 24 he was Chef de Cuisine at one of Keller’s Michelin-starred restaurants in Napa Valley, and later oversaw international openings. Saft, a hospitality professional from the Netherlands, trained under Keller at Per Se in New York and worked on cruise ships and startup projects before meeting Sandoval in 2016. Together they opened Elysium as a place where their shared ethos—service felt rather than performed—could take shape.

The dining room is set in the old cellar of the building, a space that lends intimacy to the evening. Dinner is a twelve-course tasting menu, while Sunday lunch offers a shorter, eight-course format. The cooking is contemporary, built on technique Sandoval honed in high-pressure kitchens and the instinct he credits to his mother’s resourceful home cooking. The kitchen team, including young Chef de Partie Ole Spek, brings energy and precision to every service. Head Sommelier Wouter Barneveld, who trained at Per Se and Minibar in Washington, D.C., oversees the wine pairings.

Elysium earned a Michelin Recommended distinction in 2026, a recognition that aligns with the Sandoval and Saft’s commitment to detail. It is a restaurant that feels like a natural extension of its hosts’ lives—ambitious, personal, and quietly confident.