2023 Sauce King NYC Winners

Noel Bateman on the Jalapeño Jam story:
“Long story short, we have all seen how they make Tabasco at McIlhenny, and I saw them at Meatopia in London a few years ago with a taste comparison between un-aged and aged Tabasco chili mash. That got me thinking of doing something similar with another chili.

“So one old Rioja wine barrel, 150kg of green jalapeño, and 2 years later we drained the barrel into 25l jerry cans to make the smoked jalapeño jam, and the coriander & jalapeño.”

Metro NYC Startup “Duane Joseph” Award Winner
(TIE)

Note: Many of the Metro NYC Start Up category winners have used the Sauce King NYC competition to launch commercially. In our 2021 competition, Elfassy Foods and their Harissa sauce line first entered. In 2023, they entered again with an award winning commercial product.

MORE CATEGORY AWARDS & WINNERS

We tested a range of sauces from all over the world this year and our judging panel worked hard to select winners and standouts.

Homegrown Hero

Elfassy Foods, Harissa ( our 2021 Metro NYC Start Up winner has aced the next step up to a commercial product.) NYC

Category of their own

Dirty Bird’s Swett Sauce LLC, Dirty Bird’s Swett Sauce Original (sesame oil as “secret” ingredient), Lake Worth, Florida

Judges’ Award
FireFly Barbecue, Peruvian Recoto, UK

Barbecue Sauces
Top BBQ sauce: tie
*B.T. Leigh’s, The Magical Mop, Kentucky ( top award winner 2020, 21, 22!)
*Louisiana Creole Candy, Creole-ish BBQ Sauce, Louisiana

BBQ Sauces- Judges’ Awards
*Paragon Sauce & Spice LLC, Claremore Oklahoma . FIRE BRICK Barbecue Sauce, Kansas City Style HOT barbecue sauce.
*GWB Hot Sauce, BACON FIRE, Clarksburg, West Virginia
*Linda’s Barbecue Sauce. HONEY ( honey sauce), The Bronx, NYC

Runner ups- Metro NYC Start Up
*Sotto Voce restaurant, Brooklyn, NYC. Diablo sauce
*International Wings Factory, NYC. CRY hot sauce

Judges’ Awards- BBQ sauces, and more
*Joy’s Island Spice, Jerk BBQ Sauce. NY.
*Oyster sauce, Carolina Co. Packing.
*Black Pearl Spice, Salsa/seafood sauce. Maryland.

Best Traditional BBQ sauce
*Olchefskis Road just BBQ sauce.Cleveland Ohio.( 2022 and 23!)

The Classic , Everything Sauce
*B.T. Leigh’s, Something Something sauce. Kentucky.

“The Whole Hog” award
*Pork Mafia, Chicago, Favorite Dipping sauce
Cochon Dipping Sauce

Favorite Family of BBQ sauces
*B.T. Leigh’s, Kentucky, (with the record 4 top awards in 4 years)

Rib King NYC’s Grill Sauce
*Bear’s Smokehouse, Kansas City Sweet. Connecticut.
(Bears Smokehouse won 2023 Rib King NYC Chefs competition)

Most Applelicious BBQ Sauce
*Big Daddy’s Bar-B-Q , Applelicious HOT BBQ sauce.
Overland Park, Kansas

Condiments
*Rocket Fuel Foods, Top Ketchup “Stomach Soother”
all natural, granny smith apple ketchup.. Stomach soother

Judges’ Mention
*Rocket Fuel Foods, Yellow mustard

Rubs- Judges’ Mentions
*FireFly Barbecue, UK (international) SpicyTexas TexMex Rub
*B.T. Leigh’s, Something to Beef About rub, Kentucky
*Bayou Gotham, Creole Seasoning, Bayou Bourre. NYC x New Orleans.
*Pork Mafia. Buckshot Seasoning, with activated charcoal. Chicago.

Best international- Family of Sauces and Rubs
*FireFly Barbecue, UK.

Runner Up- Best International
Kam Rai Thai restaurant, Queens NYC ( Thai sauces made in NYC, a Start up).

Hot sauces- Top Hot Sauce of 2023
*Coney Island Saucery, Ricky’s Smokes. Lets Go! Hot sauce made with hemp hearts. NYC.

Runner up
*Craic Sauce Craft Sauce, 40 Shades of Green Chili, Lowell, Mass.

Most Delicious Heat award
*Rocket Fuel Foods, Raspberry Scotcher. Newark, NJ

Judges’ Awards
*718 Heat Factory, sweet heat ( 2022 Top Hot Sauce)
*Rocket Fuel Foods, FRESCA salsa verde, Newark, NJ
*Gotham Bayou, Bayou Bourre, NYC x New Orleans
*Rocket Fuel Foods, Louisiana Classic Red, Newark, NJ

Top Families of Hot Sauces
*Craic Sauce, Lowell, Mass.
*Rocket Fuel Foods, Newark, NJ
*Bayou Gotham, NYC x New Orleans!