Entering the "No-Sauce" Era

The best things in life don't need any sauce. For everything else, there's XO.

During my travels in Sardinia, I was struck by the Sardinian philosophy of pure ingredients and minimal seasoning. In this Mediterranean haven, a simple drizzle of olive oil suffices, and flavors are reveled in their natural state. Chef Pasquale d'Ambrosio at Capogiro embodied this ethos, deliberately omitting even garlic to let each ingredient shine.

This experience made me question our tendency to constantly add more - be it sauces, supplements, or excessive seasoning. In New York City, I've noticed a reliance on heavy flavors, perhaps to mask mediocre ingredients or to satisfy stress-induced cravings for fat and salt. It's a reflection of an additive culture, always seeking satisfaction through more, yet often missing the essence of what's already there.

Over the past six months, I've been consumed with launching Maison XO. The obsession to integrate XO into everything led me away from what truly matters: sourcing exceptional ingredients. In focusing solely on the literal sauce in the jar, I was neglecting the substance - the food itself, its origins, and the people behind it.

I'm entering my "no-sauce" era, returning to my core passion for discovering great products and sharing the perspectives of those who produce them. It's about simplifying, removing rather than adding, and finding satisfaction in the purity of food. This doesn't mean abandoning XO; instead, it reaffirms our commitment to quality. We've partnered with a new manufacturer in the Hudson Valley, known for its world-class produce, to create an even better XO sauce that honors this sourcing ethos.

Not everyone has access to the finest ingredients, and that's where XO can bridge the gap - enhancing meals with depth and richness when needed. But the journey is about appreciating food for what it truly is, to move closer to the source - where life begins.