CHEF DAVID HEATLEY

I have been in the food service industry since I was 13 years old. My father told me that if I wanted a car when I turned 16, that I had better start working.

After a brief summer at a local plant nursery loading peat moss and topsoil into car trunks, I started working in kitchens; washing dishes and bussing tables. Not long after, chefs saw my drive and would teach me simple tasks around the kitchen. From grilling Texas toast, to washing and chopping lettuce.

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I worked hard for 3 years for $4.25/hr part time, but I got the car at 16! A 1976 Brown Chevy Malibu for $600! “Fully Loaded” with tires, gas, insurance, and the new Ozzy “No More Tears” cassette!

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Upon graduating High School, I needed to decide whether to attend college (I had my sights set on being an accountant) or to continue working in kitchens. I got a summer job as a line cook at a new Applebee’s in Scottsdale, AZ, while I decided which path I wanted to take. This choice turned out to be the decision that shaped the rest of my career. The general manager there, Eric Wilfley, took me under his wing and taught me everything he knew about managing in the restaurant industry. Working for Applebees wasn’t exactly setting my culinary skills on fire, but I learned invaluable management tools that would stay with me forever. Eric and I are still friends to this day and, suffice to say, I owe him more than I’ll ever be capable of repaying.

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After several years there opening restaurants around the country as a corporate trainer, I decided that being a chef was what I was going to stick with. But I would need to join an operation with more of a culinary focus. I took a job, at the suggestion of my sister Lisa, at a new Morton’s of Chicago Steakhouse in Scottsdale as their lead sauté cook. I was promoted quickly to Sous Chef and my career as a chef had officially begun. It was here that I learned the basic building blocks of making sauces and coulis’. We would make a different sauce daily and we had no shortage of fresh ingredients to do so. Boy did we make some delicious sauces. And some that were absolutely terrible! (apple cinnamon beurre blanc, lol. What a disaster!!!)

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With the years that followed, I moved around quite a bit in order to gain experience in different cuisines and operation styles. In 25 years as a chef, I have worked for small local pubs, to some of the most upscale hotels and country clubs, and everything in-between. I’ve also owned and operated a few of my own restaurants. Some very successful, and some that absolutely bankrupted me! My journey has taken me from Chicago, to Phoenix, to St. Louis, to Tampa, and back. I’ve had the pleasure of auditioning for Hell’s Kitchen and have done Tasty demonstrations on Facebook. All of that experience led me to today, where I can now offer to the general public the best tasting super hot sauces available.

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I currently reside in the far southwestern suburbs of Chicago, where I run a small hot pepper farm with my wife, Lindsay, and our two beautiful daughters, Kara and Blake. I’m surrounded by women; even the cat is a girl! They all play an integral part in bringing you the sauces that you enjoy. (except the cat…she’s completely worthless) I couldn’t do it without their help and support.

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What started as a small hobby during the COVID pandemic in 2020, became the full-fledged business in operation today. I sincerely appreciate your support in getting me to this stage. Small businesses can not survive in the mega-corporate world that we live in today without local support. Please tell your friends and family about how delicious our products are. Sharing and being involved in my Facebook page, and other social media pages, also helps a great deal. In return, I promise to offer you specials and discounts on a regular basis.

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Thank you for letting me introduce myself and tell you a little bit about me, my career, and my family. If you have ANY questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at sayhello@chefheatleys.com. I answer all of the emails personally and would be honored to hear any feedback that you may have.

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Be sure to catch us at Chicago-area Farmers Markets and Special Events to sample my sauces. Stop by and say hello, take a selfie with us, and see what we have going on.

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Sláinte,