SAN DIEGO — When a San Diego mother couldn't find a healthy sauce for the Asian food she loved, she created her own. In this Zevely Zone, I met the 'Queen of Sauce and Sass'.
The next time you're cooking a meal, might I suggest a secret sauce?
"This is my favorite area of the house," said Wynn Austin the founder of Wynn's Kitchen. She's a single mom with two girls who used to be a banker.
"I learned a lot about financing and business," said Wynn. Yet, something wasn't adding up, so she shocked her friends and became a wedding planner. "All of my colleagues said wait you want to leave this job and do what?," said Wynn.
In 2016, high blood pressure landed Wynn in the doctor's office. "They just said you should exercise more and I said I exercise a lot, ha," said Wynn.
She was told to cut sugar, soy and gluten from her diet but faced a cultural dilemma.
"Most sauces have sugar, especially Asian sauces," said Wynn. Asian sauces are important because she is Vietnamese and immigrated to America when she was three.
"You can tell by that picture I was still spicy," said Wynn while showing me a picture of her as a young girl.
Wynn has a spicy personality and grew up loving food with a kick. She turned her kitchen into a laboratory to create her own sauces with natural ingredients.
"I have the Sate Chile sauce, that's the baby. That's the one that birthed this business," said Wynn. "I just launched my no-sugar peanut sauce."
She also sells a Pho starter kit. "This will make a whole pot for the whole family," said Wynn. "It's time to cook. I am making you some lettuce wraps. You can have a really, healthy delicious dinner for your family in under ten minutes."
I'm no expert, but Wynn was cooking with simple ingredients until she broke out these sauces.
"You can actually just drizzle it in," said Wynn. One sauce; then another. "No stress cooking," said Wynn. "It is so easy."
You can put the sauce on ribs and tacos too!
"The secret sauce," winked Wynn as she poured it on. "If you make this for your wife, she's going to be like what? You don't need to go out to a Chinese restaurant or takeout for something that takes less than ten minutes."
Again, Wynn made it clear her sauces contain no sugar, soy or gluten.
"I love sauces, I don't know about you, but I like things that are really saucy," said Wynn who can also be a bit sassy. "You are getting onto me," she laughed.
I asked her what the banker in her would say about starting her own business.
"That I was crazy," she said.
Yet her business is growing, even if your waistline won't.
"Flavor explosion," I said after my first bite. "I feel like I am getting skinnier by the second."
I asked if I could call her the Sauce Queen. "Sure, why not?" she laughed.
Wynn's Kitchen makes authentic Asian pantry staples made without sugar, soy, gluten, or any artificial preservatives.
Saté Asian Chili Sauce: Combines the fresh flavors of lemongrass, shallots, garlic and citrus with a zingy (but not overpowering) heat.
Vegan + Keto Peanut Sauce: Sweet, savory and citrusy, is a dipping sauce, dressing, or dip. Made with coconut aminos, this is a soy- and gluten-free alternative to similar sauces.
Artisanal Pho Spice Mix: Pho is an authentic Vietnamese meal – and now you can easily make it at home.
Wynn's Kitchen products can now be found on her website, Amazon, and in retail locations such as Sprouts, Erewhon, and at over 100 independent stores.
Learn more about Wynn's Kitchen and where to buy at wynnskitchen.com.