Matt Mays and Christine Tizzard.
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This TV chef had sworn she’d never date another musician, while this Juno-winning musician had sworn off meat. Here, how they both relaxed their rules a bit for a relationship that will never inspire a love song
Who: Matt Mays, 38, musician. Christine Tizzard, 42, chef and cookbook author.
Relationship status: Together since 2016.
Location: Toronto.
Crushing from afar
Christine: Matt was one of those guys who other people were always saying, “Oh, I can’t believe you two don’t know each other.” We’re both from the East coast, and I guess it’s kind of weird we hadn’t crossed paths. I remember seeing him for the first time at the Junos and thinking, who is that guy with the white Falcon?
Matt: I had a pretty full-fledged TV crush. Christine’s show Best Recipes Ever was usually on when I’d come home late. We have this friend in common – she was going to see Christine one day and I said, “Can you please tell her that I love her?” And she did.
Christine: I had sworn off dating musicians, so at first I was like, no way.
Matt: I think that’s a fair concern. It’s not like anybody says, “Beware of chefs.” When we first met, I told her I was more of a surfer type, which is true – surfing is my first love.
Christine: I think I said, ‘I’m not sure if that’s any better.’
Meat-cute
Matt: Early on, she invited me over for dinner. I was really excited. The only problem was that I was vegetarian at the time, and she had made chicken.
Christine: I didn’t know! He spent a lot of time on the road, and I wanted to make him the classic home-cooked meal, which to me is roast chicken.
Matt: I didn’t want to risk doing anything that could ruin my chances, so I just ate it.
Christine: It was a good few months before he confessed. I felt awful when I found out. At one point, I even took him to the St. Lawrence Market for one of those huge peameal bacon sandwiches that are just dripping in fat.
Travel buddies and homebodies
Matt: I think Christine is a little more rock and roll than people realize, and I love to just hang around in the kitchen. That’s the thing about musicians, is that yes, we spend a lot of time on the road, but when we’re home, we’re just home.
Christine: Last month, I went to Paris to promote my new cookbook and Matt was able to come along because he had time off. He was my road manager.
Matt: We moved in together earlier this year. She was cool about making space for my guitars and my record collection. I try to hold up my end by trimming the hedges, doing a lot of dishes. That’s the deal when you live with a chef.
Christine: And I guess I was proven wrong about dating a musician. The one thing I always say is, don’t you ever write a song about me. I don’t ever want to be a cliché.