A ‘hot toddy’ is traditionally known as a serving of whiskey combined with hot water, lemon and honey. However, guests’ palates were treated to something very different this week when Sarah Todd celebrated the launch of her ‘Hot Toddy’ range in Sydney.
The former MasterChef Australia contestant and her brother Matt released a collection of five fiery chilli sauces, cleverly naming the range with a spin on their surname – and ‘hot’ is an understatement.
After working on product development for more than three years, the siblings have introduced a diverse range of condiments inspired by their own travels through India, Japan and Thailand. The flavours include Kashmiri Tomato, BirdsEye Chilli, 7-Spice Sriracha, Sweet Chilli, and the spiciest of them all, Ghost Chilli.
“We didn't realise how much work would go into starting a brand, and the layers of complexity at every point,” Sarah told Draw Your Box at the intimate Sydney launch event on Thursday.
“I think that you put so much heart and soul into this product and you get it to a point where you're really happy with it, but you're just reaching the start line.”
While they’ve nailed the flavours and packaging, the siblings now face the task of marketing the sauces as they hit shelves, hoping customers spice up their lives with a slather of Hot Toddy.
“The whole next part of the process is so magnificent and huge,” said Sarah. “We’re just happy to be at that point where people are getting to try out the sauces.”
Sarah and Matt Todd at The Spice Trader. Photo by Vincent Rommelaere
The sauces have typically been created as condiments, though their versatility was clearly on display at the launch event, with guests treated to cocktails that had a true chilli-infused kick. Sarah said they can equally be used in dishes, with even a few drops of the sauces helping turn up the heat on a classic recipe.
“You can just add that to a dish just to add a little bit of spice and give it that lift, but you can also just have it as a condiment as well,” she said, adding it was important to cater to different palates, and not just the “chilli lovers” who are “there for the rush and to not feel anything”.
“We really wanted to create sauces that are in different kinds of pillars where it's something for all the different dishes… it's a range for the whole family.”
After first appearing on MasterChef Australia in 2014, Sarah returned to the popular cooking franchise in 2022, finishing as runner-up on that year’s season called MasterChef: Fans & Favourites. With training in French culinary techniques from Le Cordon Bleu in London, and also a passion for South Asian cuisine thanks to the plentiful time she’s spent in India, Sarah has proved her versatility as a chef, and continues to take her food ventures global.
Photo by Vincent Rommelaere
As she heads to India next to launch the range there, it’s not lost on her that an incredibly huge proportion of her fanbase lives there.
“I've just been really welcomed there, and that just makes it so special,” she said.
“I just love the country. I love the people and the experience has been so heartwarming and just so eye-opening. There's such an incredible culture and so many layers to it, that every year that I spend there, there’s just so much more to unfold.”
You can find the Hot Toddy range online here.