Hot Stuff

Christian Alquiza is an Austin-based chef, content creator, and certified heat seeker who has built a career around big flavors, good times, and food that doesn’t play it safe.

A nearly 20-year culinary veteran, Christian currently hosts First We Feast’s Hot Kitchen, turning the internet’s most famous hot sauces into dishes you might actually want to eat. He also competed on season 5 of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef, where he cooked under Richard Blais and brought his Filipino roots, creativity, and love of bold flavors to the national stage.

Since calling Austin home, Christian has jumped headfirst into the city’s food community through pop-ups, collaborations, cookouts, and plenty of meals cooked over live fire. He’s also the creator of Bastos Sauce, his own Filipino-inspired green sauce built to bring flavor first and heat second.

His sauce philosophy is simple: Anyone can make something hurt. Making it delicious enough to go back for another bite? That’s the fun part.

Ard Ardalan is a local trial lawyer focused on representing everyday Austinites against landlords, corporations, and insurance companies. Ard brings the *heat* to the courtroom and the kitchen! A regular reader of the Chronicle, Ard is as passionate about a free and independent press as he is all things spicy! You can usually catch him at the Barton Springs Saloon competing in trivia or running around shirtless, if you can handle that kind of heat!

Laila Bazahm is the chef and restaurateur behind El Raval and Siti, two Austin concepts celebrating the bold flavors of Spain and Southeast Asia. A former finance professional turned chef, Laila brings a global perspective, a love of vibrant food, and a healthy appreciation for heat to everything she creates. She’s excited to taste Austin’s spiciest creations – may the best sauce win!

Michael Carranza is the chef behind Tare, a Michelin-recognized omakase concept in Austin, Texas, where he applies Japanese technique through a Gulf Coast lens. Originally from South Texas, he graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Austin in 2014 and began his career at Uchi, working his way up from prep to Head Sushi Chef. He went on to Musashino, the pinnacle of Austin’s sushi scene, where he trained under sushi master Takehiko Fuse.

Darcie Duttweiler is a native Austinite who has spent the last two decades at the intersection of hospitality marketing and journalism. Currently a freelance contributor for The Austin Chronicle, she brings deep industry insight and a WSET Level 3 certification to her coverage of Austin’s food and beverage landscape. She is also a member of the Austin chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier.

Chef Sarah Heard is the chef and co-owner of Foreign & Domestic, one of Austin’s most celebrated neighborhood restaurants, where she champions seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and refined, approachable cuisine. Since acquiring the restaurant in 2017 alongside business partner Nathan Lemley, Sarah has helped shape its reputation as a destination for thoughtful dining, warm hospitality, and unwavering quality.

A Texas hospitality veteran, Sarah honed her craft in some of Austin’s most respected kitchens, including The Mansion at Judges’ Hill, La Condesa, and Parkside. Her ingredient-driven approach and commitment to supporting local farmers and producers have earned recognition from publications including Texas Monthly, Eater Austin, and The Austin Chronicle.

In addition to Foreign & Domestic, Sarah co-owns Commerce Cafe in Lockhart, Texas, where she brings the same philosophy of scratch cooking, community, and exceptional hospitality to a historic small-town setting. With more than two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Chef Heard continues to mentor culinary professionals while creating memorable dining experiences that celebrate the best of Texas ingredients.

Trevor Scott is an Austin television personality and host of the CBS Austin morning program We Are Austin. You can catch him on TV every weekday morning highlighting the people, stories, and organizations that make Central Texas such a special place to call home. He has a passion for storytelling and a career in television that spans more than 20 years, with experience in front of and behind the camera. Trevor is actively involved in many of Austin’s nonprofit efforts and is always looking for opportunities to engage with the community in positive, productive ways – even if that means burning his lips off tasting dozens of hot sauces. He lives here in Austin with his husband and two rescue pups, Dot and Janie!

Steph Steele is the founder of Tiny Grocer, a neighborhood market built on a simple idea: Good food should come from people you trust. What started as a small storefront has grown into a gathering place for local farmers, makers, and neighbors – proof that a grocery store can be more than a place to shop, it can be a hub for community.

Steph’s path to Tiny Grocer wasn’t a straight line. Before founding the store, she spent years learning firsthand how disconnected the food system had become – and how much people craved something smaller, more personal, and more honest. That instinct became the blueprint for Tiny Grocer: shelves stocked with small-batch, sustainably made products, and relationships with producers built on fairness rather than volume.

At the heart of it all is Steph’s belief that flavor and community go hand in hand – which is exactly why you’ll find her at the Hot Sauce Festival, celebrating the bold, independent makers who remind us that the best things often come from the smallest kitchens. When she’s not behind the counter, Steph is usually out meeting the next farmer, fermenter, or hot sauce maker who might just end up on Tiny Grocer’s shelves.

Taylor Wallace is the morning drive time host and Song of the Day producer at KUTX 98.9. Since she started working for KUTX in 2014, she’s had the pleasure of championing local musicians, acting as a sage along your lifelong journey of musical discovery, and giving music lovers the opportunity to show off their knowledge at KUTX’s music trivia nights. She’s always looking for opportunities to engage with all facets of the Austin community in positive ways and is stoked to check “food” off of her bucket list. Taylor lives in North Central Austin with her husband and two rescue pets: Lewey the cat and Broobs the giant dog. They prefer to not think about how much money they spend every year at the Hot Sauce Fest. 

This article appears in August 28 • 2026.

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