Local chef Thomas Tennant has turned his ‘cheffed-up’ hot sauces into a popular award-winning brand in the Cayman Islands.
Tennant told the Cayman Compass it was an introduction to a Jamaican patty in his teenage years that kicked things into a spicy gear.
“My tennis coach, who was half Panamanian and half Colombian, introduced me to a Jamaican patty. And then that was it.
“I just loved spicy foods after that, and from there I started exploring different peppers, extracting flavours and the chef in me started being really creative.”
Today, Tennant has created a range of Cayman Peppa Sauce flavours featuring nine hot sauces, with specialty products released a few times per year. The line includes Cayman Peppa’s Signature House Sauce, Mango Hell, Gone Coconuts, Sweet Heat Plantain, Smokey Caboose, Scorpion Sting, Real Duppy, Frigate Hot, Pink Boobie and Green Parrot.
It was the harmonious blend of scotch bonnets, garlic, citrus and herbs of the Green Parrot sauce that earned the chef third place in the ‘Salsa Verde’ category at the 2025 Scovie Awards – an international competition for fiery food and barbecue products that takes place annually in New Mexico.
The award-winning hot sauce is a nod to Cayman’s national bird but highlights the Amazon parrots found across the region.
“It’s definitely been a recent goal of mine or dream to win an award for a hot sauce. I entered four of my sauces last year, and out of the four, I was fortunate enough to get at least third place for the Green Parrot [sauce],” he said on Compass TV’s Daybreak show.
Tennant said it was an honour to be recognised on the international stage, adding, “This award is a reflection of the passion and dedication that we put into every bottle.
“Like many of the other sauces, the branding is about Cayman and Caribbean, but the sauce is based off of green seasoning that is used throughout the Caribbean.”
While every Caribbean island has its own version and twist, Tennant noted his version is a medium-spiced hot sauce with lots of green peppers, lots of green scotch bonnets, and then main flavours – culantro, cilantro, parsley, ginger, scallion and “all sorts of green things”.
While the brand is only a year old, the fiery sauces are spicing things up more with different product offerings such as Puerto Rican Pique jars and mini-size house sauce jars.
Tennant, who has spent 25 years in the culinary industry, said his experiences have been plentiful, rewarding and challenging.
“I have garnered three degrees in the field and worked in numerous establishments. To explain it would require me to write a series of short stories, but this I know for sure, I am always around good food and good company.”
Cayman Peppa Sauce is available for purchase at local grocery stores and other retail shops.
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