🔥 From being featured on Hot Ones to running some of the biggest hot sauce expos in the country, Steve from High River Sauces joins Fire & Flavor for a deep dive into heat, flavor, and the sauce industry.

We talk about building a brand that lands on Hot Ones, hosting major expos across NYC, Tennessee, Illinois, and Oregon, and what it really takes to stand out in the world of spice. Steve also breaks down his YouTube competition series Hot Sauce Havoc, a game show-style battle where makers go head-to-head in a format inspired by Iron Chef.

But I didn’t just choose the lineup.

I rolled dice to decide which sauces I had to eat.

No safety picks. No backing out. Whatever the dice landed on, I had to try it.

From bold tropical flavor to full-blown Pepper X intensity, this one escalates fast.

🌶 Sauces Featured:
• Pepper X Taco Sauce
• Psych Sauce
• Tears of the Sun
• Peppers Up
• Thunder Juice
• Cheeba Gold

Let me know in the comments — which sauce would you risk rolling for?

IG 📸: highriversauces

Web 🌐: https://highriversauces.com

YT 🎥: Hot Sauce Havoc

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, we sit down with the team behind Ant Sauce to talk about how this bold idea became a real brand. From sourcing edible ants and selecting the right peppers to building a focused lineup with three heat levels, this conversation dives deep into the craft behind one of the most unique sauces in the game.

And yes… we taste the Extreme Heat version.

We break down the flavor, the burn, the balance, and what makes this more than just a shock factor sauce. Whether you’re a hardcore chilihead or just curious about food that pushes boundaries, this one is a wild ride.

🌶 Featured Sauce: Ant Sauce – Extreme Heat

🐜 Real ants. Real peppers. Real fire.

IG 📸: antsauceco

Web 🌐: https://antsauce.com

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, we sit down with High Desert Sauce Co to talk about how a small kitchen experiment turned into a bold, flavor-driven craft hot sauce brand. We dig into their journey from early test batches to full production, what it really takes to build a sauce company from scratch, and why they focus on balance instead of chasing extreme heat.

We also taste through four of their sauces, starting with Garlic Cilantro Jalapeño and Fire Roasted Green before stepping into Haba-Racha and the bold Tikk-HOT Masala. We break down flavor, heat curves, versatility, and the creative thinking behind each bottle.

If you’re into craft hot sauce, small batch food brands, or the real story behind building something from the ground up, this one’s for you.

IG 📸: highdesertsauceco

Web 🌐: https://hdsauceco.com

Chili oil has exploded over the last few years, but not all of it hits the same. Some lean heavy on heat, some disappear into the background, and a lot of them feel interchangeable. Durty Burn Chili Oil sits in a different lane. This one is built around flavor first, with garlic-forward depth and heat that actually means something.

In this episode, I sit down with the mind behind Durty Burn to talk about how the brand started, why chili oil became the focus, and what goes into building a lineup that ranges from approachable to straight-up intense. We get into ingredients, process, heat philosophy, and how you balance burn without sacrificing what makes food enjoyable in the first place.

We also dig into how these oils are meant to be used, from everyday cooking to finishing dishes, and what separates a good chili oil from one that keeps people coming back. If you’re into chili oil, garlic-heavy flavor, or heat that doesn’t feel like a gimmick, this is a conversation you’ll want to stick around for.

As always, thanks for riding along and supporting Fire & Flavor.Stay spicy. 🌶️🔥

IG 📸: durtyburn1904

Web 🌐: https://durtyburn.com

Today I’m joined by Jace Porter from the Global Entomology Coalition for an interview and a tasting of Ant Sauce, a hot sauce made with real ants. We talk about insects as food, which ant species are commonly eaten, food safety, sustainability, and why eating bugs still feels so strange to most people.

Along the way, we put Ant Sauce to the test on a spoon and on wings, breaking down the flavor, heat level, and what the ants actually add to the experience. Jace brings the science, I bring the wings, and things get interesting fast.

If you’ve ever wondered whether insects belong in hot sauce, or if you’d actually try something like this, this episode answers a lot of those questions.

Web 🌐: https://www.entomologycoalition.org/

In this episode of Fire & Flavor, I’m joined by Blackwell Smith, the creator behind The Lucky Cajun, to talk real Cajun seasoning, real cooking, and what flavor looks like when it’s done with intention.

We dive into Blackwell’s background, his approach to small-batch seasonings, and why freshness matters more than most people realize. Along the way, we taste through three of Lucky Cajun’s blends on wings that were cooked ahead of time and seasoned specifically for this episode: Cajun, Smoky Cajun, and Jerk. Each blend brings something different to the table, and we break down how they perform, what stands out, and where they shine.

We also talk about Blackwell’s cookbook, how it reflects his cooking philosophy, and how he thinks about seasoning food for people he actually cares about. This episode is about flavor without shortcuts, seasoning without fillers, and letting the food speak for itself.

If you care about how spices are made, how Cajun flavor should taste, or just love a good wing tasting with honest conversation, this one’s for you.

Web 🌐: https://theluckycajun.com

Welcome back to Fire and Flavor. Today we are exploring the bold and creative world of Butterfly Bakery of Vermont. This episode dives into how a small bakery in Barre VT grew into a hot sauce brand that showcases local farms, Vermont maple syrup, garlic scapes, and fresh peppers in every bottle. We taste three of their sauces during the interview including Garlic Scape NOT Hot Sauce, Maple Sparkle Sriracha Genersaucity, and Maple Chocolate Ghost.

If you love unique hot sauces that support community and local agriculture, you will love this one.

IG 📸: butterflybakeryvt

Web 🌐: https://butterflybakeryvt.com

Today on Fire & Flavor I sit down with Michael and Erica from Jack’s Pepper Heist, one of the most exciting small batch hot sauce brands rising in 2025. Their story starts with Jack, a pepper stealing dog with big personality, and it leads into a deep passion for Latin inspired cooking, clean ingredients, and handcrafted heat.

In this episode we take a full look at their brand, their cultural roots, and the creative process behind their sauces. We taste two of their most popular flavors: Tomate de Arbol and Tomatillo Serrano. Both highlight bold Latin flavor, clean ingredients, and a balance of heat that feels handmade and intentional.If you are interested in craft hot sauce, Latin inspired food, small batch makers, or discovering the next big brand in the spicy world, this episode is packed with value. Michael and Erica talk about their heritage, their festival experiences, the community that helped them grow, and the way they stay true to real ingredients without additives or preservatives.

IG 📸: jackspepperheist

Web 🌐: https://jackspepperheist.com