Yama

Yama does the job Ōku deliberately doesn't: it's the version of Ryan Shell's cooking a member can drop into without planning the evening around it. That's a genuinely useful role inside the Collection. Not every visit to Franschhoek calls for a fifteen-course sitting, and a Collection with only formal options would miss most weeknight dining altogether.

It also sits well next to Ōku on a member's itinerary: the same kitchen group, two different registers, both within a few steps of each other.

Yama opened alongside Ōku in 2020, sharing the same Heritage Square address and the same chef-proprietor, Ryan Shell, but built for a different kind of evening. Where Ōku asks for a full sitting, Yama is Franschhoek's premier sushi room: a lighter, more casual space, with a heated courtyard that carries trade through most of the year, built for a quick lunch as easily as a full dinner spread.

The kitchen runs a high-quality sushi menu alongside an Asian-fusion à la carte, using the same seasonal, largely local sourcing that defines the group's other rooms.

Light and minimalist, the register is calm rather than loud: a room built to let people relax rather than perform, whether they're in for ten minutes or two hours.

Yama's list mirrors the group's local-winery focus, with sakes and cocktails built to pair with the sushi and à la carte menu.

Tafeleen members enjoy privileges, preferred rates and curated experiences across the Founding Collection. The details are shared personally by Tafeleen Concierge once membership is active.

Experiences

• The heated courtyard — Generous covered seating outdoors, through most of the year.
• Lunch or a long dinner — Built for a quick lunch as easily as a full dinner spread.