When it comes to cooking, the flavor of your food is an important factor. With a number of options out there, it can be hard to find the perfect one—especially if you’re looking for something with clean ingredients. Local Tri-Community resident Alex Garcia, owner and creator of Bad Bud’s Que, decided that if he couldn’t find the perfect spice and seasoning blends at the store, he would start making his own.
With a deep love for cooking—from in the kitchen to smoking and grilling—it’s no surprise that Alex wanted to ensure his food was flavored with the best quality ingredients. “I started making my own spice blends because I wanted full control over the flavors in my cooking,” says Garcia. “I wanted something cleaner and more balanced, with bold flavors that enhanced the food instead of overpowering it.” Another factor that played into this was being able to create spices and seasoning blends that were gluten-free as well.
He began to share his passion by making custom blends to give as gifts to friends and family. With an overwhelming response of excitement and love for the spices, Alex knew he had something special.
Longtime customer and friend Rich Audette raved about the products, stating, “Bad Bud’s seasonings and spices bring out the best of flavors in all of our dishes. The aroma you smell when you open the jar tells you thought and love went into it. Alex’s passion for creating wonderful blends will keep me coming back for more. You never know what he might concoct next!”
Bad Bud’s Que has a wide range of spices and seasonings, ranging from the more traditional—such as All Purpose Seasoned Salt, Bud’s Burger Seasoning, Smoked S.P.G. (Salt, Pepper & Garlic), and Smoked BBQ Rub—to the more unique, like Smoked Jalapeño Salt, Smoked Hot Honey BBQ Rub, and Bourbon Black Pepper.
When it comes to developing and testing new spice blends, it can be a process. Alex starts by making a small batch of the flavor he’s working on and tests it out on different vegetables and types of meat. He also takes the time to see how the flavors will interact with different cooking methods such as smoking, grilling and roasting. “A lot of trial and error goes into each blend to tweak the ratios until the flavor is just right,” shared Garcia. Sometimes they may come together quickly, while other times it could take weeks or even months to perfect the flavor.
What makes these blends different from the ones you find on the shelf at the market? All Bad Bud’s Que spice blends are made locally, by hand, with passion, love and care. Nothing but real, high-quality ingredients will be found in each batch. “I focus on bold, balanced flavors that work for both backyard BBQ pros and home cooks alike. Plus, I offer a wide variety of spices and seasonings, some of which are smoked using custom wood blends to create unique, deep flavors you won’t find in the typical store-bought options,” Garcia said. “Every blend is crafted with versatility in mind, so you can use them on everything from main course meals to veggies to popcorn.”
Some of the biggest challenges Alex has had in creating these handcrafted spices and seasonings have been sourcing high-quality ingredients while keeping prices reasonable. “Many commercial blends use fillers to cut costs, but I refuse to compromise on quality,” expressed Garcia. With a market that can be so vast and competitive, it can be a challenge to get the word out as well.
When it comes to future plans for Bad Bud’s Que, Alex shared, “I see Bad Bud’s Que growing into a go-to name for high-quality BBQ seasoning. Farmers markets are definitely on my radar—I love the idea of connecting directly with the community, getting feedback, and sharing my passion for bold flavors! Long term, I’d love to get my blends into specialty stores and maybe even launch a full BBQ product line.”
Who knows what exciting new flavors are waiting on the horizon? Inspiration could strike at any time, and we look forward to seeing what comes next.
Currently, to request a full list of available products and place orders, you can send Bad Bud’s Que an email at [email protected]. Follow along to keep up on all things Bad Bud’s Que on TikTok @badbudsque2, on Facebook at Bad Bud’s Que, and on Instagram @badbudsque.
