A rose amongst the thorns, Chef Candice Philip has become one of South Africa’s prolific fine dining chefs who has built a name for herself in a male-dominated industry. Granted, it has been reported that 56% of people who work in the hospitality industry are women and we have all heard the archaic rhetoric of “women belong in the kitchen”, however, this has not translated in women leading the stats when it comes to professional chefs in the world (women account for less than 25% of professional chefs in the world).

Earlier this year, the Michelin Guide revealed its new stars and awards for 2023, it came as no surprise to see that none of the recipients of the new stars were women and only three women were triumphant that night. International food magazine Chef’s Pencil analyzed 2 286 Michelin-starred restaurants in 16 countries and found that only 6% of the world’s Michelin-star chefs were women. Although we are seeing a rise in numbers, transformation has been quite slow, which makes it even more important for us to highlight and profile phenomenal chefs such as Chef Candice Philip. In her own words, Chef Candice takes us through her culinary journey that is the perfect combination of fate and continuously striving for excellence.

Take us through your journey from the beginning. What made you fall in love with the culinary arts and how did you end up where you are today?

For the most part, I always wanted my own restaurant since I was a little girl. I had never considered cheffing as a career though, and then after school I enrolled to study interior design. It was by fate that I was introduced to a chef, and he offered me an apprenticeship. Four years later I was qualified, and it’s been a journey ever since. I was scouted for the National Culinary Team, I then went to the culinary Olympics in 2008, and I also took part in many culinary competitions along the way. In 2014, I found myself representing South Africa as one of seven from around the world in the Global Chefs Challenge World Final. My dish also got nominated by Design Indaba as the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa at the time, a first for a food application.

I was the head chef at David Higgs’ restaurant Five Hundred, and then the Head Chef of Luke Dale Roberts at the Saxon Hotel. In 2018, I finally saw my own vision and concept come to life as Grei Restaurant at the Saxon Hotel. Grei quickly became highly awarded and internationally recognized. I was selected the 2018 Eat Out rising star and Condé Nast’s Best Young Chef of the Year. I have also been awarded a Gourmet Guide ** rating for Exceptional Dining that demands a tour on two separate occasions. Luxe Restaurant Awards awarded me the Pop-up Experience of the year in 2021 and the Culinary Innovation award in 2022. During and post-Covid I ran a highly successful residency at Basalt Restaurant for 2 years. It has been a very colourful journey and I am excited to see what happens next.

Apart from being a critically acclaimed chef, you have worked with and alongside some brilliant South African chefs such as Chef David Higgs and Chef Luke Dale Roberts, what key lessons have you taken away from those experiences and how did you implement them in your career?

They both have very different styles and different approaches as restauranteurs and different ways of leading. I feel that you tend to take on board what resonates with you, and I learned a lot from both of them. I can proudly say that they, along with other great chefs, have played a role in shaping the chef I am today.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, you had launched your own fine dining concept “Grei” at The Saxon Hotel, which received international acclaim and unfortunately was closed down due to the lockdown regulations that were implemented indefinitely at that point. What would you say were your key findings about the South African fine dining landscape? Who were your customers? Were they mostly foreign or local? Did you mostly serve recurring patrons, or did you constantly have an influx of new customers? Moreover, post Covid-19 what emerging trends have you taken note of in the hospitality industry?

We had a good mix of both foreign and local patrons, and we constantly had new customers; obviously being based in a hotel, people were eager to try what was on offer, but at the same time we managed to create a good base of repeat business of people that loved what we did. It was also a treat for the business executives and business meetings that were hosted there.

Post-covid, I found it to be a celebratory experience. People were scared to venture out of their houses for a good two years, so coming out of Covid we saw many celebrations, and coming together of friends and family to enjoy each other’s company in a safe and intimate setting.

These days people are very much about sustainability and where their food is coming from. There’s a large farm-to-fork movement and a locally sourced mind-set. Also, there’s a large interest in good wines from smaller lesser-known wine farms.

I found that continuously having something new to offer is a big draw card; new menus with new wine pairings from different local wine partners every six weeks worked extremely well. I forged my template and in return saw many return customers. Price point also plays a big role in today’s economy. All in all, it has been a very successful run post-Covid.

Describe the South African fine dining patron.

In my personal experience and based off the Johannesburg patrons, people are looking for something unique, a bespoke experience, an intimate setting with high-end food and great service. A place where people can celebrate their anniversaries, birthdays, promotions, and other special occasions or just enjoy an intimate date night. The patrons also enjoy an interactive element, engagement with the chef, great ambience and a good flow of service.

Having completed your residency at Basalt Restaurant situated at The Peech Hotel, what are you currently working on and what is next for Chef Candice?

As one of the country’s top fine dining chefs, my vision for the year ahead is to surpass the ordinary, offering an unparalleled fusion of art, ambience and gastronomy, leaving an enduring impression on our evolving culinary scene.

End.

Instagram: @candicephilip | Email: chefcandicephilip@gmail.com

Note: All images provided by Chef Candice Philip.