Our Story

You don’t become a restaurant darling by accident. It all began with a chef’s signature hot sauce—so good diners were swiping it from the table.

The Chef Behind
the Scenes

Chef Geoff Rhyne grew up in the red clay fields of Georgia, where his reverence for Southern foodways truly took root. As chef de cuisine at an acclaimed Charleston, South Carolina, restaurant, R&D for a new oyster dish gave way to his signature creation: a Fresno hot sauce intended to gently complement, never overpower. A riff on an old family recipe, the sauce took off, and Geoff couldn’t replenish it fast enough—some diners were even swiping it from the table.

A Hot Commodity

That same summer, Molly Fienning encountered this urban legend of the Charleston culinary scene. Full-bodied with a subtle heat, the sauce took each bite to new heights, deepening her dish without setting it aflame. By the end of the meal, Molly was fighting the urge to slide the bottle into her bag, too. A lightbulb went off, and within a year, she and Geoff had partnered to bring Red Clay to tables across the country—no thievery required.

True to Our Roots

The restaurant scene is our first love—it’s where we came from and where we’re going. But whether you discover us on a dining room table, in your local grocery, or right here, a dash of restaurant-grade magic can transform the way you cook (and eat) at home.

Pure Flavor

We’re here to enhance your food, not steal the spotlight. That’s why we don’t mess with a good thing: our products are chef-made with the freshest, sustainably sourced ingredients, right here in the US.