About Salamander Sauce
Legend says the salamander is born of fire —
not consumed by it, but created through it.
Salamanders don't fear fire — they master it.
WHY I STARTED
Almost two decades ago, I couldn't find a hot sauce that did what I needed it to do. Nothing that worked with my food — quick meals thrown together after long days. Everything I tried just added heat. I wanted more.
Something vibrant, alive, balanced. Something that could take simple food and make it worth sitting down for.
So I started tinkering.
I read dozens of recipes, took bits and pieces from each, and went to the kitchen to see what might actually work. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Real bourbon. No additives, no nonsense.
I started throwing things together — tasting, adjusting, tasting again. More carrot for body and sweetness. Ginger for bite. Pepper heat, but with direction. I kept adjusting until it hit — that feeling. Your face lights up, and you just know. You just know it's right.
Then I saw the same look on other people's faces. That's when I knew it wasn't just me.
HOW IT GREW
There was no plan. No pitch deck. No investors. Just people asking for more.
A chef friend wanted it in his kitchen. His customers asked where to get it. Word spread — the old way. Through food. Through people who care about what they're eating.
That's how Salamander started — by accident, but not by mistake.
HOW I WORK
I make sauce the same way I cook at home. If I can't find it, I'll make it myself.
Brooklyn-based, Hudson Valley-made. No formulas. Just taste, intuition, adjustment. Almost two decades in, I still taste every batch. Still trust my tongue more than a recipe.
WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT
Built to elevate food — not overpower it
Fresh ingredients, real process, nothing artificial
Low sodium — just 25-50mg per serving
Still small enough that I taste every batch
If you're going to set your food on fire, make sure it's with something real.
