Cover Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry shows off an autographed bottle of his Rock Your World hot sauce (Photo: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)
Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe Perry shows off an autographed bottle of his Rock Your World hot sauce (Photo: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)
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The hot sauce market, with its emphasis on unique flavours and artisanal touch, offers a platform for stars to showcase their creativity and personal tastes
A career in entertainment can only last so long, even for big stars. Only a select few manage to sustain their success—and remain prolific—in the entertainment industry. So, what do celebrities do? Many turn to entrepreneurship, leveraging their name to sell perfumes, makeup, skincare, wines, and spirits. Others, however, take a less conventional route.
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The culinary industry is no longer dominated solely by celebrity chefs and cooking show hosts. The trend of blending star power with flavour can be traced back to the early 1980s when legendary actor Paul Newman transformed a simple holiday tradition into a philanthropic empire. After two years of gifting homemade salad dressings to friends, Newman and his longtime collaborator, A.E. Hotchner, launched Newman’s Own in 1982. More than just a business venture, the company donates 100 per cent of its profits to charitable causes, setting a new standard for celebrity-backed food brands.
Newman’s success paved the way for other public figures to explore the condiment industry. After all, crafting a signature flavour allows celebrities to showcase their personal tastes while creating a deeper connection with fans. In recent years, more stars have ventured into the world of condiments—hot sauces, in particular. And really, who doesn’t love hot sauce?
Here are the stars who have turned their passion for heat into a business.
1. Dexter Holland / Gringo Bandito
Dexter Holland, lead singer of punk rock band The Offspring, holder of a doctorate in molecular biology and hot sauce purveyor, channelled his love for Mexican cuisine via Gringo Bandito hot sauce, which he launched in 2004. Like Newman, Holland made the sauce for friends and family, but its popularity quickly grew. Today, Gringo Bandito has sold over a million bottles and is featured in numerous restaurants and stores.
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2. Levi Roots / Reggae Reggae Sauce
British-Jamaican musician and chef Levi Roots introduced Reggae Reggae Sauce in 2007 after a memorable appearance on the UK television show Dragons’ Den. The unique selling point was the traditional Jamaican jerk seasoning. It's technically a barbecue sauce but with a fiery kick. Roots’ charismatic pitch and authentic recipe resonated with audiences, turning Reggae Reggae Sauce into a household staple and a symbol of cultural fusion. The brand has now expanded to include sodas and energy drinks.
3. Kelis / Bounty and Full
Her hot sauce brings everyone to the yard. “Milkshake” singer Kelis took her culinary passion to new heights by training as a saucier at Le Cordon Bleu. In 2015, she launched Bounty and Full, a line of sauces that showcases her culinary expertise and adventurous palate. Each sauce offers a unique flavour experience, and varieties include Ginger & Jerk, “The Truth” Habanero and Spicy Aji Verde.
Over time, Bounty and Full evolved into a holistic wellness brand, expanding beyond food to include skincare and self-care products centred on natural ingredients and sustainability.
4. Ubah Hassan / Ubah Hot
Somali-Canadian model and television personality Ubah Hassan ventured into the culinary world with Ubah Hot, an African-inspired vegan hot sauce brand, in 2021. Hassan’s sauces offer vibrant flavours sans animal products. The brand gained significant attention after being featured as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things that year.
5. Brooklyn Beckham / Cloud23
Brooklyn Beckham, son of David and Victoria, has gone through numerous careers, including budding footballer, photographer, author and now chef. In 2024, the younger Beckham entered the condiment scene with his hot sauce brand. Cloud23 is inspired by his father’s jersey number and the date he proposed to his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham. Beckham’s goal is to create a luxurious hot sauce experience. He started with two flavours, sweet jalapeño and hot habanero, and wants to introduce other products, such as spicy mayo and hot honey.
6. Danny Trejo / Trejo's Hot Sauce
Actor Danny Trejo, famed for his roles in films like Machete, brings his on-screen intensity to the culinary world with Trejo's Hot Sauce. His original blend combines peppers such as chipotle, chilli de arbol, guajillo, puya, California entero, serrano and cayenne, resulting in a medium-heat sauce free from preservatives or artificial ingredients. Having a hot sauce line makes sense for the inexhaustible actor. He has a chain of taco shops, a cantina and cafés.
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Some spice-loving celebrities have also partnered with brands to create and launch their own hot sauce lines.
7. Ed Sheeran / Tingly Ted’s
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is a well-known spicy food lover. A long-time Heinz fan (he has a ketchup bottle tattoo), Sheeran collaborated with the brand in 2023 to create versatile spicy sauces. Tingly Ted’s offers flavours such as Tingly and Xtra Tingly.
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8. Alice Cooper / Welcome to My Nightmare
Alice Cooper teamed with United Sauces to develop a catalogue of hot sauces in flavours like No More Mr. Nice Guy, Poison, and the ultra-spicy Welcome to My Nightmare. The names throw back to some of his greatest hits.
9. Joe Perry / Rock Your World Hot Sauce
There must be something about rockstars and hot sauces. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry partnered with Ashley Food Company to launch his Rock Your World Boneyard Brew Hot Sauce. He launched this project in 2004, long before the celebrity condiment trend. His hot sauce has been used in numerous restaurants, including the Hard Rock Café.
10. Mötley Crüe / The Most Notorious Hot Sauce Collection
Mötley Crüe released a five-sauce collection with United Sauces. The flavours range from mild to wild, with names inspired by the band members. The set includes The Most Notorious Garlic Habanero, Nikki Sixx’s Southwestern Habanero, Mick Mars’ Bread N’ Butter Jalapeno, Vince Neil’s Pineapple Jalapeno and Tommy Lee’s Tongue-Scorching Trinidad Scorpion.
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