2025Cape Town, South Africa – HIRO, the emotionally raw and soul-driven Japanese restaurant located in Cape Town, has been awarded Best Japanese Restaurant in Africa at the Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards 2025—an international recognition that honours not only the food but the fire, heart, and people behind it.
Founded by Cheyne Morrisby and Danielle Oosthuizen, HIRO is more than a restaurant. It’s a story of resilience, love, and the pursuit of honest abundance. From the start, HIRO was built from the ground up—through grit, sacrifice, and a relentless passion to create something real. “This award doesn’t just belong to us,” says Cheyne & Danielle. “It’s for our team, who give everything they have. It’s for Danielle and I, who have lived this story with every part of ourselves. And it’s for the people—our guests, our community, the ones who believed in HIRO when it was nothing but a fire and a dream. ”HIRO is defined by its use of fire, Japanese technique, and emotional storytelling on every plate. Whether it’s the discipline of the binchōtan grill or the silence shared across a perfect course, every moment is intentional. HIRO means “abundance.” Not just of flavour—but of energy, of connection, of soul. This award is a heartbeat. A pause. A thank you. A promise to keep showing up with everything we’ve got.
