Michael Camp turned his hobby into a reality during the pandemic, as he learned the ins and outs of lacto fermentation and creating sauce
Chief Flavour Officer Michael Camp made the best of a bad situation in the pandemic by turning to cooking and other foodie projects to distract him from a tough reality. He learnt about fermentation – the science, the benefits for flavour and even gut health – and experimented in his UAE kitchen, transforming a casual hobby into a full-blown passion.
He’d always been a spice enthusiast, so it wasn’t long before the cupboards were overflowing with jars of hot sauce. He started out by giving them away to friends and neighbours, working on improving the recipes, until Mrs Camp took on the role of Chief Cheerleader and encouraged Michael to turn it into a full-fledged business.
And so, Camp’s Kitchen was born.
The Dubai-based brand launched with four fermented sauces and a long list of recipes in development, becoming one of the first artisanal small-batch sauce makers in the UAE.
Today, you can find five of Michael’s tasty concoctions on House of Habanero – Punk, with caramelised pineapple and guajillo peppers; Reap’racha, with Sriracha and Carolina reaper; Black Reaper, with maple syrup and more reaper; Smoke & Earth, with cherries and smoked jalapeno; and Seize the Verde, with roasted tomatillo and poblano.
Fun Facts
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There would never have been a Camp’s Kitchen if it weren’t for Mrs Camp pushing the idea
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Camp’s also sells merch – think hot sauce holsters, tote mags, novelty mugs and fun tees
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They use only lacto fermentation, a simple process involving salt, vegetables and sometimes water