The internet, in many ways, can be a miserable place.
But every once in a while, you stumble upon someone who feels real. No gimmicks, no facade, no forcing, no fairytales—just real. That such person for me (and her nearly 100,000 Instagram followers) is Alex Hill, otherwise known as Just Add Hot Sauce.
Alex and I first connected via social media. It wasn’t a random encounter, however. We had dozens of friends in common and would chat from time to time in the DMs. Although she was quite popular online, she was never a weirdo about it—something I loved about her. As a food lover myself, we would often talk about our shared love of cooking or I’d thank her for teaching me some new tips in the kitchen. She replied to every message with genuine curiosity and kindness. My spirit immediately took to her.
Fast forward to fall 2024 and the two of us are having brunch at Café Telegrama in Los Angeles. It was our first time meeting in-person. We stayed there for hours talking about everything from Ina Garten to dating to some things that are nobody’s business. We’ve been friends ever since.
While there are thousands of cooks doing their thing on the internet, Alex stands out not necessarily as a traditional influencer, but as a person of influence. She makes both her real life friends and online audience feel seen and poured into—both qualities she credits to her upbringing. She’s not preachy or all-knowing. She’s kind, honest, and empathetic—which is exactly how she approaches food and building community.
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MadameNoire: Tell me about some of your earliest memories of food.
Alex Hill: For as long as I can remember, it was me and my mom in the kitchen. Every time she cooked it was so effortless and I always looked at her with such awe. Whenever she cooked she would always hand me a little white ramekin before the meal was actually ready so I could taste test it before we sat down for dinner. That’s definitely where I first fell in love with cooking. But my dad was actually who introduced me to the farmer’s market back in my hometown of Washington, D.C. I distinctly remember spring and summer at the markets because he would be on the lookout for the best watermelon and I would get to sample all the peaches during the summer! It was heaven.
Very sweet. Did those experiences shape the way you approach food today?
Oh my gosh, the reason I’m in food is because of my parents. They didn’t even know how they were shaping who I am within the food industry. I love a farmer’s market because of my dad. It’s a way of supporting my local farmers, which is so important to me. And even more, our community faces so many food-related health issues, so knowing what is going in my body is just so important to me, it’s a form of self-care. Now my girl—my mama! She is just the best cook. She truly let me run wild in the kitchen when I was younger. I was the kid watching Emeril on The Food Network. She saw and asked if I wanted to try a recipe on the weekend. It turned into me cooking every weekend and I just loved it. My cooking style is totally my mom: Approachable, vibrant, and full of flavor.
So you’ve clearly always had an interest in food, but do you remember the exact moment you actually fell in love with food?
My dad taught at Vermont Law every summer for two weeks so me and my brother would go. One summer when I was around 10, he took me to a culinary school because he knew how much I loved cooking. I distinctly remember taking a picture and my smile was so big. I remember that moment so vividly. I knew then I was supposed to be in food.
It’s funny how life works, because you worked in marketing before creating Just Add Hot Sauce. Yet you ended up pivoting back to food anyways.
I started my food blog in 2017 just as a way to do something for myself other than my job and I wanted to share my passion with the world. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do specifically. I just knew I didn’t want to be a chef in a restaurant. So when social media came out and I saw people posting pretty food pictures or starting a blog, I was like “Well, let me try.” Lots of starts and stops because of imposter syndrome, but in 2020 everything took off for me. I was at home cooking and posting on Instagram like a maniac! My following started to grow and I remember my first partnership they paid me $500 and I was like “Wow!” I slowly started making more money and decided to take the leap of faith in 2021—with $25,000 in savings and no plan!
Have your marketing skills helped you in your culinary career?
Absolutely. What I learned is people want to feel a connection and ultimately they are rooting for you. Yes, of course I cook, but I think people actually support me. I don’t want you to just cook my recipes because they’re good. I want you to feel a connection to who I am. Also, I’m not just a cook. I’m a friend, I’m actively dating—I’m a whole woman, and I want you to know who I am beyond the food.
Your newsletter Food & Feelings is an important part of your business. Why do you think storytelling is such an asset when it comes to the food—especially for Black audiences?
My newsletter didn’t even start with food actually. It was more of a journal of me talking about my life, and it turned into this beautiful community that has created a safe space for people to feel seen through my vulnerability. I think people relate to it because you can really get lost in social media. We often just see the highlights of someone’s life, but life is not just the highlights. I want people to know I see them because I’m going through it too, you’re not alone.
On top of just our day-to-day lives, we are living through very strange times. How can food and the art of cooking provide ease for our community?
Cooking for someone or yourself is the purest way to say “I love you.” You are putting time, effort, energy, and money into making someone feel good through food and that is love. A meal provides refuge, comfort, and safety.
Shopping. Streaming. Savings. It’s On Prime.
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Great Job Kayla Greaves & the Team @ MadameNoire Source link for sharing this story.
