Welcome to Butchart's Burners, where our passion for peppers has been cultivated for over 20 years right here in Salisbury, North Carolina.
My Journey into Heat
My journey into the world of heat began not with a bang, but with a spoon. As a child, I was allergic to eggs, and my mother used a generous amount of ketchup to help me tolerate them. Through that process, I soon discovered that what I really liked was adding something with a kick: Texas Pete or salsa. It didn't take long before I started adding hot sauce to everything, once even cooking a chili so spicy my family couldn't eat it! I was, and still am, completely addicted to spicy food, eating something with fire in nearly every meal.
The Pepper Progression
The true craft began during my high school years working at a garden center. I spent time at local farmers markets where I discovered the simple joy of eating a Cowhorn pepper alongside a hot dog for lunch—a great combination that sparked my curiosity.
My commitment deepened while I was a student at the University of North Carolina in Wilmington (1997–2001). I vividly remember finding Red Savina Habaneros at the Harris Teeter and started using them to spice up the goulash I made to save money. Around this time, I started seeing extreme products like Dave’s Insanity Sauce, which motivated me. I learned I could enjoy these super-hot sauces in moderation, and I became determined to try and make my own.
Cultivation, Craft, and Community
In 2006, I finally moved into my current property and was able to establish a proper garden. Since then, my pepper collection has exploded. For the past five years, I’ve dedicated myself to growing 80 to 100 different pepper varieties each season, from rare heirlooms to face-melting superhots.
The first hot sauce I ever made was a simple, fresh blend of Serrano peppers, lime juice and zest, cilantro, and garlic. Today, I’m focused on creating small, craft batches of hot sauces, pepper tinctures, and custom dried powders that I love sharing with coworkers, friends, and family. It’s an ongoing process of trying to push the envelope and create the next great flavor sensation.
Right now, I’m enjoying red beans and rice with dried Indian curd peppers called Mor Milagi, and I’m about to drizzle on a few drops of my latest creation: the jerk and pumpkin pie spice-inspired Jerk 'o Lantern hot sauce.
While I do hope to officially launch a hot sauce company one day, for now, I'm simply enjoying the process, refining my recipes, and gathering feedback. Even if I never had a business, I'd still be making hot sauces for myself and anyone else bold enough to try them.
Thank you for being part of the Butchart’s Burners journey!