France and hot sauces—they didn't really go together for a long time. The supermarket shelves were filled with major brands from overseas, and if you wanted more than vinegar with a kick, you were out of luck. That's exactly what bothered three cousins: Anna, Jean-Baptiste and Benjamin Martin. All three are professional chefs, and all three like their food hot. In 2019, they founded their own independent sauce company, with the family name on the label. The sauces are made in their workshop in Loir-et-Cher, in the heart of the Loire Valley.
Chili First, Then Sauce
Their goal isn't to make the hottest sauce in the world, but the one with the most flavor. That's why everything starts with the chili. The peppers grow in open fields, mainly in southern France, and are only harvested when they are fully ripe. For certain varieties, they also source chilis from elsewhere, for example if a particular variety is not available in France.
In the workshop, the chilis are sorted, washed, and de-stemmed by hand. Then comes the time-consuming part: the peppers are processed into a purée and fermented in barrels for one year. Only then are they cooked—sometimes plain, sometimes with spices, herbs or fruit—slowly and gently before the sauce is bottled. For their ketchups and seasoning sauces, they use tomatoes from France.
A Scale from 1 to 12
So you know what you're getting into, the Martins have their own scale from 1 to 12. The Mistral with Herbs of Provence is a 4, pleasantly warm and great with pizza, pasta and vegetables. The smoked Sirocco is a 7, our recommendation for burgers and anything from the grill. The Tonnerre made from yellow habaneros is an 8, fruity and full-bodied. At the very top are the Carolina Reaper at 11 and the Tsunami at 12. With these two, a single drop really is enough.
In the meantime, the little idea has become a well-known brand. French television visited the company for the documentary series "Envoyé spécial". That changed nothing about their approach: chefs who make sauces they would use at their own stoves.
We have carried Maison Martin sauces in our range since 2022. Feel free to work your way up the scale.
