We Have Some *Very* Hot Top Chef News

Bravo‘s Top Chef contestants always bring the heat to their challenges, and now there’s a new way for at-home chefs to do the same. To celebrate 20 seasons of Top Chef, Bravo has teamed up with the sauce experts at HEATONIST and Top Chef Season 12 winner Mei Lin to create a line of game-changing hot sauces based on pantry staples. 

“Partnering with Bravo’s Top Chef felt like a natural fit for us,” HEATONIST founder Noah Chaimberg explained to BravoTV.com via email. “At HEATONIST, we create unexpected new flavors of hot sauce using only the highest quality, all-natural ingredients. Top Chef drives its contestants to create innovative new dishes in the same way. We drew inspiration from Top Chef’s 20th season, bringing together cheftestants from all over the globe, and asked ourselves how chefs everywhere create winning dishes.”

The three sauce flavors — Herbs, Peppercorn, and Garlic — “are as unique as they are versatile,” Chaimberg said. “While the goal was to highlight those pantry hero ingredients, we also wanted to ensure each sauce was balanced enough to stand on its own. The Herbs Hot Sauce is balanced with lime; Peppercorn with roasted red pepper and ginger; and Garlic with apple cider vinegar and lemon. Each of them is complex, while still letting the star ingredients shine.”

Mei, who is a self-proclaimed “avid hot sauce lover,” told BravoTV.com that while “you can use [each sauce] the same way, essentially,” in terms of cooking methods, “their flavors are all so different.” Speaking to the unique taste of each one, she added, “You don’t really find hot sauces like this out on the market. It’s really cool.”

Chaimberg said the sauces have an “accessible” heat profile “in the mild-to-medium range” and can be used in a variety of ways.

“Besides using them as a condiment, you can honestly use them as marinades,” Mei said. “Marinate different proteins with them, create vinaigrettes with them, really just use them throughout cooking your meal.” 

Below, get more information on each sauce flavor. 

Herbs
A vibrant mix of green herbs like parsley, cilantro, and rosemary, blended with citrus and mild jalapeño to brighten any meal. Use as a dressing, marinade, or condiment to create winning dishes at home!

“With its vibrant cilantro, parsley, and citrus blend, the Herbs Hot Sauce pairs well with seafood or chicken. It makes a great finishing sauce,” Chaimberg advised. “Try some on top of simple avocado toast!”

Mei suggests using the sauce as a marinade. For example, “I would take some buttermilk, maybe like two-thirds buttermilk and one-third hot sauce, and use that as a marinade for chicken or wings. That would be great,” she said. “And then you can coat it in some more hot sauce after.”

Peppercorn
A floral blend of peppercorns, zingy ginger, and fruity habanero for just-right heat. Add to sauces, marinades, and even cocktails to create winning dishes at home! 

“Peppercorn makes an excellent crust for protein like steak or pork,” Chaimberg said. “With a combination of black pepper and Szechuan peppercorns, it pairs equally well with Szechuan-style noodles as it does with American cuisine or even Italian. Fiery cacio e pepe anyone? Or try it as a salad dressing!”

Garlic
An umami bomb of savory garlic and grassy serrano peppers that finishes with seductive, slow-building heat from ghost pepper. Use as a sandwich spread, marinade, or condiment to create winning dishes at home! 

“Garlic Hot Sauce is a can’t-miss for marinating or as a gourmet sandwich spread thanks to its rich texture,” explained Chaimberg. “I’d highly recommend trying it as a substitute for aioli.”

Ready to douse your dishes in these delicious flavors? You can purchase a trio or single bottles on Heatonist.com, ShopbyBravo.com, and in person at HEATONIST’s Chelsea Market and Brooklyn brick-and-mortars in New York City.

Top Chef Season 20 premieres on Thursday, March 9. Watch Top Chef on Peacock and the Bravo app.