At the corner of elegance and excellence, inside the Houghton Hotel, sits Cyra – recently named Eat Out’s New Restaurant of the Year, and home to one of the most captivating culinary voices in South Africa today: Chef Candice Philip.
- The Sandton Times was invited to an exclusive preview of Cyra’s Winter Tasting Menu, an intimate evening designed to showcase the depth, detail, and daring of Candice’s cuisine.
- Soft, feminine, and meticulously curated, Cyra is awash in muted golds, blush pinks, and rich forest greens.
- In a setting of sunset-hued elegance, the evening was a showcase of modern fine dining at its most poetic.
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As the winter sun dipped below Johannesburg’s skyline, a curated guest list of celebrities, taste-makers, and food aficionados gathered in Cyra’s blush-toned dining room to experience a menu that whispers stories and commands attention.
With Cyra, the newly crowned Eat Out Best New Restaurant of the Year and Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year at the Luxe Awards, Chef Candice Philip has delivered more than just a restaurant. In a setting of sunset-hued elegance, the evening was a showcase of modern fine dining at its most poetic and powerful.
The Sandton Times was among a curated guest list of taste-makers and celebrities invited to Cyra’s exclusive Winter Tasting Menu preview at The Houghton Hotel. Among those in attendance was Shashi Naidoo, one of many familiar faces, dressed exquisitely and reflecting the autumn sunset. Each Winter Tasting Menu course offered a sensory journey through texture, memory, and subtle warmth. Every detail – from the charcoal wafers accompanying a savoury brown onion madelein, to the ginger malva with hints of bourbon and caramel – was well executed.
Starters brought an unexpected harmony of land and sea with Mussels in cucumber XO and lemon, while mains included the standout Duck with parsnip and coffee, and a rich Short Rib with sweetbreads and green pea.
Dessert was anything but an afterthought. The Vintage Gruyère with pecan and celery marmalade served alongside a Saldanha Medium Cream offered a savoury-sweet tension rarely explored so boldly. Then came the warm, nostalgic Ginger Malva, and to finish: a delicate trio of petit fours — grapefruit meringue, chocolat noir, and more. At R1250 per person for food only (or R1995 with wine pairing), this seven-course tasting menu is priced competitively for the calibre of experience it offers.
Candice’s journey has been anything but instantaneous. Over the course of 23 years, she has worked tirelessly behind the scenes of some of the country’s top kitchens. Often the only woman in a male-dominated space, she didn’t shout for attention – she let her food speak.
Now, her voice resonates not only through her dishes, but across the entire dining landscape of Johannesburg. Crowned Chef of the Year at the 2025 Luxe Restaurant Awards, Candice’s rise is testament to quiet resilience, unwavering focus, and a rare depth of vision. Hand-forged metalwork by Sarah Cronin, golden petal motifs, and textured linens create an inviting environment. The visuals are delicate, the music curated, and the service style – gentle, fluid, precise – reflects Candice’s deeply human approach.
The staff are attentive but never intrusive. And that’s what sets the experience apart. For those who have followed Candice Philip’s journey, this restaurant feels long overdue. But for Candice, this is just the beginning of a new chapter.
In a city often chasing the next thing, Cyra reminds us that true fine dining doesn’t shout. It whispers. And we’re finally listening.
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