Karl Stefanovic thought they were a good match. The rest is history

This story is a part of the February 11 edition of Sunday Life.See all 10 stories.

When restaurateur and celebrity chef Guillaume Brahimi, 56, tied the knot with Mara & Mine designer and billionaire chicken heiress Tamie Ingham, 38, the lavish wedding at Musée Rodin in Paris last June was the talk of town. Among the star-studded guests at the event were media mogul Lachlan Murdoch, who served as a groomsman, and Jasmine Stefanovic, who was a bridesmaid. Eight months on from the nuptials, the loved-up couple, who live in Sydney, share their story with Sunday Life.

How did you meet?

Guillaume: We met at a dinner party that was more like a set-up organised by friends, just before the first COVID lockdown in 2020. Tamie had just returned to Sydney after living in Los Angeles and a friend of ours, Karl Stefanovic, thought we were a good match. Tamie was immediately stunning to my eye. We sat next to one another at dinner and it felt natural to start talking to her. The rest is history.

Tamie: The dinner party didn’t feel like a set-up, as there were 20 other guests invited. There were a number of friends trying to get us together before this point. I didn’t know much about Guillaume before I met him. I have never been keen on being set up, but I was very surprised when I met him because he has such a beautiful presence and it felt natural to be around him. The moment Guillaume walked into the room he had a way of grabbing everyone’s attention. He has an incredible personality and great sense of humour. He is very kind and loved by everyone.

Guillaume wears Orlebar Brown T-shirt and chinos, Gucci sunglasses from Eyewear Index, Chopard watch. Tamie wears Dior dress, bra and briefs.Credit: Hugh Stewart

Who made the first move?

G: I did, of course! We went on a couple of restaurant dates after our first meeting, and then I invited Tamie to my house and cooked for her a few times. We were lucky enough to be able to get to know one another as we weren’t able to travel overseas and had more together time.

T: Guillaume is an amazing chef and I got to experience his best dishes at home while also getting to know him more intimately. He spoiled me and pulled out all the culinary stops. For him, it’s all about chopping ingredients in front of you, having a glass of wine together and setting the scene with great music – Françoise Hardy, Serge Gainsbourg, lots of Carla Bruni – in the background. All these things make meals together more romantic. I found this very charming. He finds true pleasure in preparing the dinner in front of you. It’s still what we love to do.

Was marriage something you both wanted?

T: I’ve always wanted to get married. I was in no rush for it to happen. For me, it was about finding the right person. I knew after a few dates with Guillaume that he was someone special I could spend the rest of my life with. As soon as we could travel after COVID, we went to Paris and he introduced me to his family. After that, we were constantly drawn back there, either for work or to visit his parents. Paris became a second home for us, so it was a no-brainer to choose it for our wedding. We wanted Guillaume’s family to be there and for our family to experience the love we share for the city.

G: We definitely wanted to get married, and I never felt concerned about asking Tamie. And Paris is where I come from, so it was special to celebrate it there.

Tamie wears Valentino dress, her own jewellery. Guillaume wears P. Johnson suit, Orlebar Brown T-shirt, Chopard watch.Credit: Hugh Stewart

The wedding day looked seamless. Any hiccups organising it from Australia?

T: It proved to be difficult at times but it was worth every minute of it. We had our ceremony at Musée Rodin and just two weeks before we got married they called to tell us there was a huge fashion week event and a marquee being put up in front of the museum and nothing they could do about it. We couldn’t change the venue for our guests at short notice. I remember doing the dress rehearsal and being stressed to see this huge eyesore of a marquee.

G: A friend of Tamie’s had the marquee taken down the day before and the wedding was perfect.

How do you support one another in your relationship?

T: I met Guillaume during a pivot in his career as he had just shut down his restaurant in Sydney. We like to discuss next moves and plan our future and career.

G: We are a team – that summarises everything. We don’t do anything without talking to one another first. Communication is important.

“He is incredible in front of the camera, like a movie star. I was impressed because I am very camera shy.”

TAMIE INGHAM

What do you see as each other’s strengths?

T: I am a planner. I like to sit with Guillaume and say, “Let’s look at what is happening in the next five years and plan ahead.” Guillaume looks one week ahead; I am definitely the one who’s all about the bigger picture. I think my strength is pushing him to have a five-year plan and not just think day by day. Guillaume is very creative and a fantastic chef. When I was with him during Tour de France filming, I saw him go off script and he was perfect. If he made a mistake, he would redo it off the top of his head. He is incredible in front of the camera, like a movie star. I was impressed because I am very camera shy.

G: Tamie pushes me, and we talk a lot about what we’ll do next. She wants me to excel, but more importantly she is happy when I am happy, and it’s nice to have someone who feels that way for you.

Tamie wears Fendi dress, her own jewellery.Credit: Hugh Stewart

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

G: Valentine’s Day is another occasion to spoil each other, but I hope people don’t wait a year to do something nice for one another. Tamie loves discovering new places, and I am a creature of habit. I like going to a nice restaurant, discovering it and talking about it long after. I love going to Alessandro Pavoni’s a’Mare as much as I love going to Sean Moran’s Panorama. Sometimes we go to Fred’s, other times it’s Crown Nobu for sushi and a cocktail.

T: I am very lucky because Guillaume is French, which means he is romantic all the time. It’s the small gestures that mean so much. Every morning he wakes earlier than I do and makes me a lemon and ginger tea. I appreciate how caring and kind he is to me. We also like to make time for a walk together, either before or after work. We love to lock in a date night once a week!

What are your plans for the year ahead?

T: We drove to Byron Bay recently and spent eight hours in the car working on a list of New Year resolutions. We’ve been editing it all January and there are no more than 10 things on it. The most important for us is creating a healthy routine. Guillaume travels so much for work – to Crown [casino] in Perth or Melbourne and filming overseas – but wherever we find ourselves our health is important and that means exercising regularly. As far as my work goes, my sister has recently launched a sexual-wellness brand and I’ve been working on a strategy. I have also been working on a new project with Guillaume – that’s the exciting part of 2024 that is yet to come together.

G: We talk about travelling to Spain this year, maybe Brazil, and I am filming in France for SBS again. I would love Tamie to come with me as she keeps my morale high and is good for me. She knows I like to have her with me. We’re talking about working on new projects together. I don’t know what that will look like, a restaurant or something else. It’s a work in progress.

What does family mean to both of you?

G: Tamie doesn’t do anything without her brother and sister and I love that they are a very close family.

T: I was nervous to meet Guillaume’s family in France due to the language barrier, but I shouldn’t have been. Family is super important to me and Guillaume is also close to his parents and siblings. We’re very similar in that way. My mother, Mary, is Italian and while she isn’t a chef, she is a very good cook. I love how she and Guillaume always compare Italian and French cooking.

Styling, Penny McCarthy; Hair, Keiren Street using Wella; Make-up, Katie Angus using Nars Cosmetics at Mecca; Fashion assistant, Allegra Cole.

STOCKISTS Chopard; Dior; Eyewear Index; Fendi; Orlebar Brown; P. Johnson; Valentino

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