Guillaume Brahimi

Guillaume Brahimi (born 11 August 1967 in Paris, France) is a French-born chef based in Sydney, Australia. He is currently head chef of Guillaume restaurant located at 92 Hargrave Street, Paddington NSW. According to the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food section, the Hargrave Street restaurant will close at the end of 2016.

Brahimi's career began in France, where following a two-year apprenticeship at Aux Charpentiers he secured a position as Commis at the three-star Michelin restaurant La Tour d'Argent, eventually graduating to Chef de Partie after several years. In 1986, at the age of 19, Brahimi took up an opportunity to work with the French master chef Joël Robuchon at Robuchon's Jamin restaurant in Paris. Over the course of four years Brahimi progressed through the ranks to the position of Sous Chef, before deciding to relocate abroad.

It was Sydney, Australia that Brahimi chose as his new home. Here he opened his first restaurant, Pond in Kings Cross, which quickly found favour with diners and critics alike, earning the establishment Two Hats from the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide within months of opening.

Following this successful venture, Brahimi accepted an offer to captain the restaurant Bilson's (later renamed Quay) at Sydney's Circular Quay. Between 1995 and 1996, Brahimi lifted the restaurant from its mediocre stature to Two Hat status. By 1998 the restaurant had earned Three Hats from the Good Food Guide, joining the ranks of the few elite Sydney restaurants to earn this accolade each year.

In 2001, Brahimi secured the contract to run the prestigious Bennelong restaurant at the Sydney Opera House. The restaurant underwent extensive refurbishment and opened later that year, renamed Guillaume at Bennelong.

Since its opening, Guillaume at Bennelong has garnered numerous awards from such publications as Conde Naste Traveller and Gourmet Traveller magazine. The restaurant was also awarded Two Hats in the 2004 and 2005 editions of the SMH Good Food Guide, and eventually Three Hats in 2006 and 2007. The restaurant however fell back to Two Hat status in 2008.

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