Since I began gardening at home, my fascination with hot pepper plants has only grown. Their resilience and the beauty of their fruits never cease to captivate me. The notion of crafting my own hot sauce has lingered on my bucket list for decades, yet amidst numerous ongoing projects, it remained relegated to the backburner—a retirement project, if you will.

My journey into mixed martial arts began at Kung-Fu Patenaude in 2014. One morning during training, my partner Eric Fournier (www.ericfournierteam.ca) shared a humorous anecdote:

“I had some chicken wings last night,” he said to us, “and I told my wife that the wings had a little Mario in them.”

Eric’s wife inquired, “What do you mean by that?”

“It has a little kick!” Eric replied with a grin.

Despite my increased flexibility over the years, high kicks have never been my forte, and even today, I struggle to kick very high. But as they say, it’s a work in progress! (Laughs)

This tale from Eric sparked a lively conversation among my teammates, ultimately inspiring the creation of Mario’s Kick! While I’m an avid fan of hot sauces myself, I prefer to savor the flavors rather than endure a fiery mouthful. Leave it to others to concoct sauces that set your taste buds ablaze.

Thus, the essence of my hot sauces lies in providing just a hint of heat from the peppers, allowing you to relish not only the spices and flavors I’ve infused but also the subtle warmth of the peppers themselves.

“From a tiny seed sown in March to a fiery hot sauce crafted by fall, the satisfaction is unparalleled.”

Mario, Mylène, Émy & Léo