Our Vision

Our Vision is to bring the untapped potential of the chilli to your kitchen with our range of chilli products that are destined to improve your pantry.

Chillies are integral in many culinary cultures around the world, and can often be found in the most defining dishes of a region - the Scotch Bonnet in the Caribbean and Africa; the Kashmiri in North India; the Aji Amarillo in Peru and around South America; the Habanero, Jalapeño and Serrano in Mexico; the Urfa, Sivri and Aleppo in Turkiye, Syria and the Middle East; Piment d'Espelette in the Basque region of France; the Peperoncino in Italy; the Gochugaru in South Korea; the Bird's Eye across South East Asia, the list goes on. 

Chillies are commonly made into pastes in many of these cultures. This is in part because they can be preserved in season and used year round.  It is also because pastes are versatile and inspiring in the kitchen, allowing chefs and home cooks to get the best results, particularly when preparing sauces and marinades. 

It's no surprise that chillies play a central role in so many cultures.  The heat of capsaicin brings a natural release of endorphins.  Having evolved to protect the plants from pests and predators, chillies are packed with antioxidants and carry numerous health benefits, such as boosting the metabolism and reducing inflammation in the body. From a chef's perspective, chillies also offer intense and diverse flavour and colour. 

At Jem's Kitchen, we source the best chillies available in the UK from the same sought after suppliers as Michelin starred establishments across the country.  We do not compromise at any stage when it comes to quality of produce or process.  Our pastes are twice sieved to ensure that they are free from seeds, which contain excessive heat and bitterness.  What makes it through our twice-sieved process is mostly the nectar of the colourful flesh.  

In contrast with mass produced chilli pastes, our handmade pastes are reduced to a thick consistency naturally without any thickening agents or added preservatives such as starches or xanthan gum.  As a result, the natural beauty of the quality ingredients is untarnished.

Our preservation method is light: light fermentation and organic apple cider vinegar introduce a mild acidity to the paste. The lifespan of the pastes is increased by vacuum sealing our glass jars with tamper-proof safety button lids. 

What's more, our packaging is entirely recyclable, including the jar, lid, label, and all shipping materials.  We have thoughtfully selected our jar to be versatile in the kitchen, so you should be able to find another use for it yourself.  Some of our favourite uses are as spice containers, pots for sauces such as homemade mayo, or a homemade chilli sauce with the last of your paste.

We encourage you to try the traditional recipes that utilise each type of chilli (you can find some inspiration on our instagram page @jemskitchen_), and we encourage you to experiment in the kitchen too. We can't wait to hear about your creations!