If you’ve ever met a Mauritian, you’ll know one thing for sure: we live for food. As soon as breakfast is done, we’re already planning lunch. After lunch, it’s on to dinner. It’s a daily rhythm shaped by flavour, family, and fresh ingredients — a way of life where food is more than fuel, it’s culture, connection, and joy.

I grew up in Mauritius, surrounded by the smells, sounds and soul of a kitchen that never slept. Our home was always alive with the scent of spices – cumin, coriander, garlic – dancing in hot oil. My mum cooked everything from scratch: biryanis, Chinese noodles, boulettes (those silky dumplings made with chow chow), haleem, and our beloved street food — gato piment, d’hall puri, fried aubergines, and rotis wrapped around spicy curry. We didn’t do fast food – our street food was the fast food, and it was always fresh, wholesome, and made with love.

Some of my most cherished memories are of my nan, cooking over an open fire in her yard. The evening air would be thick with the smell of her amazing curries – especially her legendary fish curry with pilchards. That’s where my passion began — not in a fancy kitchen, but barefoot in a backyard, watching magic happen with fire and spice.

When I moved to the UK 20 years ago, I craved the comfort of that home-cooked food. I started experimenting, recreating the classics from memory, calling my mum for advice, slowly building those deep island flavours again. Over time, as exotic spices and ingredients became easier to find, I began to refine my recipes, adjusting, layering, perfecting.

Cooking became my way of keeping my heritage alive — and sharing it. I love hosting dinners and BBQs, feeding friends and family, watching their faces light up with that first fiery bite. For me, cooking is sharing love.

And that’s how Chilli Daddys was born. Out of nostalgia. Out of passion. Out of fire.

Every jar and bottle is a tribute to where I come from — to the bold, sun-drenched flavours of Mauritius, to the women who taught me how to cook with soul, and to the belief that food should bring people together. Whether it’s the tropical heat of Île en Feu, the savoury punch of Mazavaroo, or the comforting spice of our Sunny Island blends, each product is handmade with love, tradition, and a little island mischief.

Thanks for being part of this journey. From my table to yours — let’s spice things up.

— Chilli Daddy