Ryan Zammit grew up skateboarding in San Diego and always had fun with the pain that went with accomplishment, so it is only natural that he enjoys the pain of the world's hottest peppers as well. Zamm and lifetime friend Jim Kappel, both with over 30 years in the skateboard industry and the culinary world, started experimenting with peppers and sauces for fun. Ryan had been working in the restaurant business and Jim graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), so this background helped them create some bold and interesting flavors. Great flavor takes time, and a lot of it. Ryan Zammit started making hot sauces over 10 years ago as a hobby to create flavor profiles and heat levels that weren't easy to find outside of specialty stores. His passion slowly turned into an obsession. From seed trading to growing, he started the business when he realized he had grown so many pepper varieties that his backyard began to look like an exotic pepper orchard. Zammit enjoyed crafting sauces from his homegrown peppers and getting feedback from family and friends to create the perfect balance of heat and flavor. He believes the right sauce can unlock bolder flavors in food and enhance any dish. "People work so hard on developing amazing recipes for people to just to cover them up with "hot sauce." As with any recipe, something added should compliment any creation, not cover it up. Have fun in life with a little sauce on the side. Cheers friends!
From Skate Culture to Scoville Scale: The Zamm'Z Story
Growing up in San Diego's skateboarding scene, founder Ryan "Zamm" Zammit learned to embrace the pain that comes before achievement—a mindset he naturally applied to mastering the world's hottest peppers.
For over a decade, Zamm and lifelong friend Jim Kappel (a Culinary Institute of America graduate), both veterans of the skateboard and culinary industries, were obsessed with creating hot sauces that delivered flavor first.
What started as a backyard hobby—from seed trading to cultivating an exotic pepper orchard—slowly became an obsession. Zamm'Z was founded on the belief that a great sauce should complement, not cover up, an amazing dish. We craft sauces that unlock bolder, brighter flavors in your food, balancing exceptional heat with a palate-pleasing profile.
Cheers friends! Have fun in life with a little Zamm'Z on the side.
