14 Feb A Story From Michael
As far back as I can remember my mother Loretta was growing chillies, herbs, fruit, vegetables and making natural remedies, chilli & comfrey creams, alcoholic chilli rubs, chilli oils, chilli sauces, flakes and pastes that inspire me to this very day.
My father Graeme was the same. He always told me “if you can not eat it what was the point of growing it” and he showed me a total different way to use fresh chillies & herbs. Even mastering fruit in the craft of brewing and showing me his diaries dating back 30+ years with recipes using anything from banana, chipotle and malaise porter to a fresh mango, basil and lime pale ale.
So you could say I was always inspired with using amazing fresh produce in a respectful, unique way and that lives on in me to this very day with trying to raise the bar and do something different and unique.
My sauces started way back as a child watching my mother make some of the most amazing, vibrant fresh sauces and pastes straight from the garden.
Then as well I grew up with my amazing wife’s family as a kid and can still remember lighting the same off set smoker that we still have and use to this very day and watching her mother Lyndelle cook some of the most homely and flavoursome food I have ever had.
Myself, my wife Rachael and our family would cook BBQ, Tex Mex, Mexican or Cajun every weekend and could never find a stand out BBQ, ketchup, mustard, steak or hot sauce so I decided to start making my own and the feedback was overwhelming.
My brother Jason loved my sauces and believed in my product so much that he kept hounding and pushing me to go into the Mr Chilli Awards. I wasn’t really interested, but after Jason, Rachael and other family members insisted I sent in two sauces. Barbaric BBQ and Lucifers Lashes which I picked up an award for Barbaric BBQ that year. Now I have five awards in two years and I have never looked back, let alone keep up with demand.
To some it all up Heavenly Hell would not be without the love my mother had for using chillies and nature in her homemade remedies. The unique ways my father used in brewing before it’s time. The push my brother gave me. The backing of my beautiful wife, the strongest women I know. All my amazing friends and family that critiqued me to be better and the Mr chilli Awards that gave me the boost and platform to be noticed.
