Fire & Flavor

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, we sit down with Jimmie, the creator of Monkey Junk Hot Sauce, a bold small-batch brand out of Western North Carolina. From the early days of experimenting with peppers to building a community around handcrafted heat, Monkey Junk is all about flavor with attitude. We dig into their origin story, the inspiration behind sauces like Mutant Verde and Lava Tears, and how local growing and flavor inn...

Join me as I sit down with the founder of Papa Caps Hot Sauce to dive into their origin story, the passion behind their bold flavors, and what makes their award-winning sauces stand out. We talk about crafting heat with purpose, chasing flavor that hits deep, and how a thrill-seeking hobby turned into a small batch sensation.During the interview, I try four different Papa Caps sauces and give my honest take on each one. Whether you...

I sat down with Tim from Revolutionary Hot Sauce to talk about his craft hot sauce journey and some seriously unique flavors. We cover Hot Java (with coffee and cherry bomb peppers), the Ukrainian-inspired Adjika with green apple, the tropical Sweet Wave, and the ghost pepper-heavy Phantasm.

If you're into small-batch sauces, bold ingredients, and spicy creativity, this one’s for you.

IG 📸: revolutionaryhotsauce

Web 🌐: h...

In this episode, I sit down with David, the founder of Bean's Hot Sauce Co, to talk about his journey from startup dreams to building a hot sauce brand with serious flavor and purpose. We dive into two of his standout sauces:

🌶️ Wacky Tabascy – a wild twist on a verde tabasco🫐 Azul de Fuego – a bold blueberry hot sauce with a surprising kick revealed during our chat

David shares what keeps him going, how the company evolved, and wh...

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, I sit down with Mike from Long Island Pepper Company to talk about how his small-batch hot sauce business got started, his passion for gardening, and what it’s like to grow a spicy brand from the ground up. 🌶️🌱

Mike shares the stories behind five incredible fruit-forward sauces:🫐 Blueberry Carolina Reaper🍍 Pineapple Mango Habanero🥭 Mango Ghost🍈 Papaya Carolina Reaper🐉 Dragon's Blood

Ea...

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, I sit down with Maki and Garth, the creators of Volcanic Ash Hot Sauce, a bold small-batch brand built around one seriously unforgettable sauce. After seven years of experimenting and refining, they landed on “The OG,” a deep, savory blend of caramelized garlic, onions, habaneros, and smoky heat that delivers something truly unique. 🌋🌶️

We dive into their flavor philosophy, the story behin...

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, I sit down once again with Jake from Newks Hot Sauce, a Portland, Oregon-based craft hot sauce company. After running into technical issues during our first interview, we reconnected to dive even deeper into his journey of building a hot sauce brand, the challenges of growing in a competitive industry, and the creative process behind five of his standout sauces:

🌶️ Grillo’s Pickles Hot Sauc...

In this exclusive interview, I sit down with Eddie and Eric, the founders of Stanky Sauce, a bold and creative hot sauce company out of Orlando, Florida. We dive into how the brand got started, their mission to "feed adventure" through flavor, and the journey of turning a spicy passion into a thriving small business.Along the way, we taste five of their standout sauces: Pineapple Habanero Ghost, Garlic Datil, Honey Mango ...

Join me for a fiery conversation with Alex from Cousin Dean’s Hot Sauce, where we dive into the heart of a small‑town business built on local ingredients, community support, and pure passion for flavor. Learn how this family‑run brand turns simple, homegrown produce into unforgettable heat — and discover why shopping local makes all the difference. Don’t forget to like this episode, and follow for more stories behind your favorite ...

In this spicy interview, I sit down with Kevin from Naked Hot Sauces out of Newmarket, NH to talk all things hot sauce!

I put my taste buds to the test with three fiery flavors:

🌶️ Down the Hatch – A smooth start with a kick!

🔥 The One – Turning up the heat!

💀 Reaper Madness – Pure, blistering insanity!

Each sauce brings its own unique flavor and increasing intensity, so watch or listen as I sweat, react, and maybe even regret my cho...

Episode 001Welcome to Fire & Flavor, where I, Matt, delve into the passion behind small-batch hot sauces. In this debut episode, I reveal how weekly wing nights ignited my love for spice, how growing chilis at home deepened my appreciation for heat, and why starting my own sauce line wasn’t easy. Now, through interviews with artisan makers, we’ll explore their histories, flagship sauces, and favorite pairings. Join me to celebr...