Elevating My Dishes With a New Flavor Profile
I am an LA native who has spent the last year dipping my toe into cooking, and I have truly enjoyed discovering up and coming brands that further my culinary passion and push me to cook in new ways. I have loved using food as a medium to express myself to the people I care about. Cooking is not a menial task that I perform in my day to day life just to get by. Rather, it has become a powerful way to break up my nine to five monotony, express myself creatively, and channel everyday stress into something positive.
With each dish I make, I post it to social media daily. I plate my food with intention and precision, making sure it is not only exceptional on camera and visually compelling, but also memorable for the people I cook for. I am continually developing my understanding of seasoning, spice, and flavor profiles so that every dish delivers both presentation and taste.
During my cooking journey, I discovered the brand Down to Ferment, owned by Sean and Ryan, and after doing my homework on the company, I was sold instantly.
Sean has been cooking professionally for most of his adult life. He discovered that passion early on and had an opportunity that allowed him to fully focus on developing his craft. He has worked as an Executive Chef, Food and Beverage Manager, and Culinary Director. Eventually, he reached a point where corporate cooking culture no longer allowed him to thrive creatively, leading him back to the reason he fell in love with cooking in the first place, exercising creativity and spreading joy through food.
Ryan is an accomplished mixologist, web developer, and United States Marine Corps veteran. His experience spans upscale wine parlors, craft cocktail bars, hospitals, nightclubs, dive bars, and fine dining establishments, crafting everything from refined cocktails to classic dirty martinis.
After learning about both of their backgrounds, I found their story highly relatable. Like many creatives balancing professional careers, they bring multifaceted experience into their work while maintaining a strong work ethic rooted in real world experience. Knowing the brand is San Diego based was another plus, as supporting a locally sourced California company matters to me.
What truly caught my attention was their commitment to natural ingredients and fermentation. Down to Ferment uses kombucha based fermentation rather than preservatives, producing sauces from scratch using quality ingredients and traditional techniques. Day in and day out, I make it a habit to cook with ingredients that nurture my family, and I have developed a health conscious sensitivity in my work. This made it even more meaningful to learn that their products are made from scratch using quality ingredients and traditional fermentation techniques, hence the name “Down to Ferment” Both founders stress putting flavor first, focusing on sauces that enhance food rather than simply delivering heat, with approachable yet complex flavor profiles and no artificial preservatives or chemicals.
After learning more about the brand, several products immediately stood out to me. I ordered The Kitchen Sink package along with their limited Three Year Anniversary Harissa Vibe and the One Pump Chumps Fermented Chili Garlic Sauce. Off the zany and off the wall titles alone, I was already excited. My order arrived quickly, and I was ready to start cooking with my newfound sauces and seasonings.
The first dish I prepared using my Down to Ferment products was what I call my “Elevated Omelette” I prepare my omelettes in my own intricate way, starting with my meat selection followed by colorful peppers and tomatoes. Seasoning usually includes Cajun spice, oregano, and a few personal ingredients I hold dearly. I also incorporate unique cheeses such as feta along with different Mexican varieties.
Once the dish is complete, I plate everything in my well lit kitchen using edible flowers, gold flakes, and complementary sauces to bring the plate to life. While I have a structured approach to plating, I also enjoy free styling and letting the ingredients guide the final presentation in the moment.
For this omelette, I reached for the One Pump Chumps Fermented Chili Garlic Sauce. I could not help but laugh at the name, but once I read the flavor profile, I knew it would add exactly the kick I was looking for. The result was easily one of my favorite omelettes to date. The flavor was richer, more vibrant, and elevated beyond my usual preparation. Visually, the sauce added color and depth that enhanced both presentation and taste. The response at home was overwhelmingly positive, and it made me excited to continue cooking with more Down to Ferment products.
The following day turned out to be Taco Tuesday, which felt almost poetic considering one of the sauces I purchased was Big Poppa’s Taco Sauce. Inspired by the product alone, I decided tacos would be the perfect next dish. I headed to my local Ralph’s to gather ingredients, intentionally choosing items you would not typically find in traditional tacos to make the experience more creative and personal.
After spending far longer than expected exploring ingredients and building my vision, I returned home ready to cook, excited to continue experimenting with flavors and pushing my dishes even further using Down to Ferment’s sauces and seasonings. The tacos came out beautifully presented with incredible flavor profiles. I called this creation my “Tantalizing Tacos” I look forward to continuing to experiment with Down to Ferment products and feel this is only the beginning of incorporating their brand into my everyday cooking.
“Elevated Omelette”
“Tantalizing Tacos”
1. Down to Ferment Ooo-Mami Bomb Seasoning
2. Down to Ferment Big Poppa’s Taco Sauce
3. Down to Ferment One Pump Chumps: Fermented Chili Garlic Sauce