Founder Story

Pandemic Heat began long before the company officially existed.

Founder James Lesueur started experimenting with sauces and flavor combinations at just 14 years old, creating a signature sticky sauce that quickly became popular with friends and family. What started as a passion for bold flavor and heat continued to grow over the years through constant recipe testing and experimentation.

Before launching Pandemic Heat, James originally planned to open a restaurant concept called Jay’s Wing Spot LLC in Ohio. While building the idea, he realized the sauces themselves had the potential to become something much bigger than a single restaurant location.

After spending more than two decades refining flavors and developing recipes, James officially created the Pandemic Heat brand in 2023 and founded the company in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2024.

Built on originality, strong flavor, and memorable heat, Pandemic Heat focuses on creating products that stand out from traditional sauces through unique flavor profiles and bold branding. The brand has already earned recognition within the hot sauce community, including an award at the Atlanta Hot Sauce Festival.

Today, Pandemic Heat is a Black-owned Cincinnati brand focused on becoming a nationally recognized name in flavor while staying true to the creativity and passion that first started in the kitchen years ago.