It all started with pizza. My dad's favorite food is pizza, and one day he started dreaming of the perfect seasoning — something spicier than red pepper flakes, but not as overpowering as hot sauce. And that’s how Plemmons Pepper was born — a bold blend with all the heat from spicy jalapeño peppers, backed with his own signature secret flavors. It was like nothing else out there.

He started making it over 25 years ago, just for our family, in tiny batches by hand. And I mean tiny batches. It was a hot commodity — my aunts, uncles, cousins, and neighbors were all trying to get their hands on it. But there was never quite enough to go around. Or maybe my dad just didn’t want to give up his stash.

Ever since I can remember, Plemmons Pepper has been a necessity. My grandma carries it in her purse everywhere she goes. We take it to restaurants, on trips, to parties — it is always on hand. We put it on everything. I'm talking popcorn, pasta, sandwiches, eggs... I swear it's good on anything!

Seeing how obsessed my family was with this seasoning as I grew up, I knew I had to share it with more than just our dinner table. So here we are. Still making it in small batches. Still just as good as the first time. And still just us — a real family, running a real business, doing it the same way we always have.

And that's not even the whole story.

Food and flavor have pretty much been my entire life. For the past 16+ years, my parents — Eddie and Joanne — have been keeping locals on the Central Coast happy with classic Santa Maria Style Barbecue. They started out as a catering company before I was born, and for the past 16 years have dedicated their lives to keeping the Central Coast well-fed at their restaurant, The Swiss Restaurant and Bar, they would love to have you if you're ever in the area.

Now, we're excited to be bottling that flavor too! Our Santa Maria-Style BBQ Seasoning is coming soon, straight from my dad's pit to your kitchen. It’s the same original blend he’s been using for years to feed thousands.

Here at Plemmons Pepper, we’re proud of our small-town roots and our passion for food, and we hope to share the Santa Maria flavors from our family with the rest of the world.