Every once in a while, you come across someone who is doing something a little different and doing it really, really well.

That’s exactly how I felt when Phil Pelletier sat down with me on Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast.

Now, if you know me, you know I love food with personality. I love bold flavor. I love creativity. And I especially love when someone takes something familiar and turns it into something unexpected.

And this conversation? It delivered on all of that.

Because what Phil is doing with Smoking Tin Roof isn’t just about heat… it’s about flavor first.

One of the first things Phil said on Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast that really stuck with me was this:

He doesn’t consider Smoking Tin Roof a hot sauce company.

He calls it a spicy company.

And honestly, that says everything.

Because these products are not about setting your mouth on fire and calling it a day. They’re layered. Thoughtful. Built around flavor first and then the heat comes in as something that enhances, not overwhelms.

And that’s rare.

Of course, I had to try a few things during the episode — and I’ll tell you right now, they did not disappoint.

The Burnin’ Raspberry was such a fun surprise.

Bright, fruity, and full of flavor right up front, with a gentle heat that sneaks in after. Phil said it’s great on ice cream, and honestly? I can absolutely see that.

Then there was the Hot Pepper Jelly made with peaches.

Immediately, my brain went to cream cheese and crackers… breakfast sandwiches… burgers. It’s one of those products that just works in so many different ways.

And the Bacon Stout Mustard?

That one really got me.

Sweet, spicy, rich just packed with flavor. I was already thinking about pastrami sandwiches before we even finished talking about it.

And then the Buffalo sauce.

This one stood out for a very specific reason.

Phil created it to fix a problem so many people know: too much vinegar, not enough flavor.

His version? Balanced. Bold. Actually enjoyable.

This might be one of my favorite origin stories.

Phil spent over 25 years working in IT.

And none of this started as some big business plan.

It started with his wife.

She bought him a ghost pepper plant because she was frustrated that restaurant food wasn’t spicy enough for him — and told him to make his own hot sauce.

So he did.

He brought those sauces to work, people loved them, and from there it just kept growing.

Testing.

Refining.

Cooking in a commercial kitchen.

Doing craft fairs.

And eventually realizing… this might be something bigger.

That’s how so many great food businesses start.

What I loved about this conversation is how hands-on this business still is.

Phil and his wife are doing so much of it themselves.

Cooking.

Labeling.

Stocking shelves.

Running events.

And constantly creating new products.

You can feel that in what they make.

It doesn’t feel mass-produced.

It feels personal.

And that makes a difference.

On Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast, he also shared that he’s taken over Seltera Spice Company, which is such a natural fit. Sauces and seasonings go hand in hand, and it sounds like there’s a lot more ahead.

You can find Smoking Tin Roof products locally at the Manchester Craft Market at the Mall of New Hampshire, along with other locations like Calef’s Country Store and Zeb’s General Store.

And they’re online too at:

smokingtinroof.com

And trust me — if you love flavor, this is worth checking out.

This episode of Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast was such a good reminder of something simple:

The best food doesn’t have to be complicated.

It just has to taste good.

Phil didn’t set out to make something extreme.

He set out to make something flavorful.

Something people actually want to keep using.

And that’s exactly what he’s done.

Because at the end of the day?

Flavor always wins.

Watch and listen to my full conversation with Phil Pelletier and get a behind-the-scenes look at the creativity, flavor, and passion behind Smoking Tin Roof.

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ABOUT CAROL ERICKSON

Carol Erickson has owned Red Arrow Diner since 1987 -- four locations across New Hampshire, open 24/7. She started Beyond the Plate to tell the real stories behind the people who make New England's food and hospitality scene what it is. Not just what's on the menu. What's behind it.

Red Arrow Diner: redarrowdiner.com  |  @redarrow24diner