“I think taste and smell are quite similar,” she says, agreeing that her culinary training certainly shaped the way she approaches fragrance. The reality of running a family business — long hours, little time off, and the need for seemingly endless reserves of motivation — can be jarring to those unfamiliar with the sacrifices. But for Tabitha, that work ethic was ingrained in her from a very early age — long before La Bougie even entered the picture. Often when you’re setting up a business, you’re perhaps a bit tight for money, and an opportunity comes up, and you think, ‘yes, I’ll do that’. Fifteen years down the line, they hope you’ll be able to buy a La Bougie candle all over the world.

Source: Irish Examiner March 07, 2026 13:19 UTC