⁠ Ahmed Ali Akbar believes that hot sauces ought not to be measured in mere Scoville units, but in how they pair with food and company. After chasing heartburn through my 20s, he tries to keep the heat reasonable, unlike enthusiasts with fridges overflowing with tongue-in-cheek names designed to scare, Radioactive Emission or Beelzebub’s Stomach Evacuator or Da Bomb Beyond Insanity (only that last one is real). He keeps his rotation slim, local and versatile, maxing out at around habanero and Scotch bonnet spice levels with an occasional foray into ghost peppers.⁠ ⁠ In Chicago, small-batch makers are producing some of his favorite sauces right now — he brings them out when he hosts and frequently ends up sending guests home with a spare bottle and the sauce’s story.⁠ ⁠ Tap on our bio link to read more.⁠ ⁠ -----⁠ ⁠ Photo 1: Kitchen manager Lena Cunningham pasteurizes a pot of Chi-Racha hot sauce from Co-op Sauce (@coophotsauce) before bottling on May 14, 2025, in Chicago. ⁠ ⁠ Photo 2: Chi-Racha hot sauce from Co-op Sauce is available for sale at Sauce and Bread Kitchen at 6338 N. Clark St. in Chicago. ⁠ ⁠ Photo 3: Mike Bancroft, of Co-op Sauce, measures Korean red pepper flakes called gochugaru to make Korean-flavor kraut at Sauce and Bread Kitchen.⁠ ⁠ Photo 4: A variety of sauces from Co-op Sauce are for sale at the Sauce and Bread Kitchen.⁠ ⁠ ? Ahmed Ali Akbar / Chicago Tribune⁠ ?️ John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune / @johnkimpictures

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Ahmed Ali Akbar believes that hot sauces ought not to be measured in mere Scoville units, but in how they pair with food and company. After chasing heartburn through my 20s, he tries to keep the heat reasonable, unlike enthusiasts with fridges overflowing with tongue-in-cheek names designed to scare, Radioactive Emission or Beelzebub’s Stomach Evacuator or Da Bomb Beyond Insanity (only that last one is real). He keeps his rotation slim, local and versatile, maxing out at around habanero and Scotch bonnet spice levels with an occasional foray into ghost peppers.⁠
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In Chicago, small-batch makers are producing some of his favorite sauces right now — he brings them out when he hosts and frequently ends up sending guests home with a spare bottle and the sauce’s story.⁠
⁠
Tap on our bio link to read more.⁠
⁠
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Photo 1: Kitchen manager Lena Cunningham pasteurizes a pot of Chi-Racha hot sauce from Co-op Sauce (@coophotsauce) before bottling on May 14, 2025, in Chicago. ⁠
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Photo 2: Chi-Racha hot sauce from Co-op Sauce is available for sale at Sauce and Bread Kitchen at 6338 N. Clark St. in Chicago. ⁠
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Photo 3: Mike Bancroft, of Co-op Sauce, measures Korean red pepper flakes called gochugaru to make Korean-flavor kraut at Sauce and Bread Kitchen.⁠
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Photo 4: A variety of sauces from Co-op Sauce are for sale at the Sauce and Bread Kitchen.⁠
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? Ahmed Ali Akbar / Chicago Tribune⁠
?️ John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune / @johnkimpictures