Sauce alchemist Tim conjures hot magic flavours in a jar

That was in 2014 and on the back of successful stints in broadcasting and presenting with the BBC in Belfast and as a community artist for the likes of Belfast City Council, the Arts Council and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

While Tim, a graduate of the Art College in Belfast, also worked as a graffiti artist helping young people enhance their skills and community standing with paint aerosols, he loved creating hot food - the hotter the better - at home for wife Kevina, who hails from Newry, and two young daughters.

Tim’s passion for hot food has been inspired by travel and experience of street food over 30 years in places such as central America, the US, Africa, the Far East, Middle East and India.

“I’ve enjoyed some really fiery foods in many of these countries over the years especially at colourful street food stalls. And I’ve loved most of them,” he says. “Street food, to my mind, is by far the most authentic way to experience the flavours of a country. It’s also the best way to find out about people and culture. It’s immensely encouraging to see the evolution of a distinctively tasty street food culture in Northern Ireland. There was a time when street food here was just greasy fish and chips and burgers. It’s changing now… and for the better. There’s now tremendous variety.”

He decided to join the artisan revolution in 2014 as Food NI’s Year of Food and Drink began to develop and to raise awareness of quality food and drink from mostly locally sourced ingredients. “Food NI is doing a fantastic job for artisan businesses like mine. It’s just a shame it is so strapped for cash to be able to help accelerate the growth of the artisan sector here,” he adds.

Describing himself as a “sauce alchemist”, Tim, a vegetarian for 30 years, began work on the creation of premium products from chillies he originally grew in his garden.

“I had to stop growing them when demand for my sauces outgrew my ability to produce enough of my own chillies. They’re also not that easy to grow,” he adds.

Tim had opted to raise his own chillies as part of his commitment to control the ingredients used in his products for consistent quality and taste. He now selects from a trusted supplier and tends to use fresh habanero hot chilli peppers in his range of spicy sauces. All the sauces are vegan and free from allergens and gluten as well as being low in calories.  “My sauces contain only natural ingredients and are free from added sugar and salt as well as artificial colours or preservatives,” he continues. “While our sauces are hot, our focus, above all, is on taste. It’s not just about heat. We want customers to enjoy the taste of the products. At BlackFire, we never use chilli extract but carefully blend the flavour profiles of the spices using locally grown vegetables to provide premium products unlike any others.”

He takes great pride in working closely with other local artisans such as Armagh Cider Company for its apple cider vinegar, dulse from Ballycastle and a garlic grower on original sauces. “It’s great to be an integral part of such vibrant community of artisan producers here,” he continues. “There’s great camaraderie and willingness to encourage and help each other.”

A good example of this was the recent success of Ke Nako Biltong from Ballyclare, an artisan enterprise run by couple Ilse and Alanagh van Standen on Ballylagan Organic Farm, in winning double gold for a richly flavoured dried meat cured in Tim’s distinctive ‘Pain in the Hole’ hot sauce. “I was blown way when they rang me to tell me about the tremendous awards. It was such a marvellous endorsement of their highly innovative dried meat and my original sauce,” he adds.

Tim now has a seven-strong range of hot sauces of differing strengths of heat in a very colourful packaging and distinctive branding that reflects his love of his native Belfast – Belfast Redhead, Belfastard, Bonfire Chipotle, Samson and Botanic as well as Hothouse and Pain in the Hole – and his humour. They’ve won recognition for quality from Blas na hEireann, the Irish National Food Awards.

The sauces are now in sale in delis and other specialist food stores such as Sawer’s, the Arcadia, French Village and Creighton’s, all in Belfast. They have also been used by leading chefs in restaurants here.

He also produces gift boxes for delivery and supplies orders from his website.

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