Valkenswaard is a welcoming village in the southeast of North Brabant, just below Eindhoven and close to the Belgian border. Its location creates a warm, Burgundian food culture where Brabant hospitality blends with Belgian influences. From this region operates Qudo'tjes, an artisan producer of spicy condiments and chili-based products in Valkenswaard led by Gertjan Caris. At the European Hot Sauce Awards 2026, Qudo'tjes won two Silver Medals in the Chili Oil category: one for Tempestade Chili Crisp and one for Stormur Chili Crisp.
Qudo'tjes works as a one-kitchen chili crisp operation in Valkenswaard, with every jar made by hand in small batches. The range pulls two clearly distinct directions inside the chili crisp format: a smoke-led build around applewood, walnut oil and chipotle, and a sweet-and-spicy build on sesame, dates and garlic. The two silvers land both directions on EHSA's largest category by entry count.
Nathan Austin on Tempestade and Stormur:
"Chili Oil drew the largest field at EHSA 2026, and most of it leans the same direction. Qudo'tjes lands two silvers in it with two sauces pulling opposing spines, smoke against sesame and applewood against dates, which is the hard double to land in blind judging." – Nathan Austin, Tasting Editor, Republic of Heat
Tempestade Chili Crisp (silver, Chili Oil): built on sesame oil with dates and garlic, the first taste smooth and slightly sweet, then a spicy kick that lands five to ten seconds in. Good on rice bowls, eggs, noodles and dumplings.
Stormur Chili Crisp (silver, Chili Oil): a smoky chili crisp with walnut oil, pine nuts, apple pieces and smoked chipotle flakes. Built for the summer-evening barbecue, applewood-smoking register, easy to use over grilled meat, charred vegetables and slow-cooked plates.
"Double award win for Qudo'tjes. All our products are handmade in small batches in Valkenswaard. That takes hard work and a lot of time, and now it's been rewarded: Stormur and Tempestade Chili Crisp have both won silver in the Chili Oil category at the European Hot Sauce Awards." – Gertjan Caris, Qudo'tjes
The European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 ran over 200 sauces from across the continent through blind tasting this year, scored on five criteria by a deliberately mixed panel of chefs, sommeliers, critics and chilli specialists. Chili Oil drew the largest field of any single category in this year's edition.
"That's a small-batch kitchen out of Valkenswaard placing twice on the EHSA Chili Oil podium in a single year. EHSA exists to surface exactly that kind of result, and we're watching closely for what Qudo'tjes brings next year." – Neil Numb, Founder, European Hot Sauce Awards
Tempestade Chili Crisp and Stormur Chili Crisp are available through Qudo'tjes at qudotjes.com. Full EHSA 2026 results across all 16 categories: heatawards.eu/results/2026?utm_source=press_release&utm_medium=press&utm_campaign=ehsa2026&utm_content=qudo-tjes.
The European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 are announced ahead of the Berlin Chili Fest, 29–31 May 2026. Republic of Heat's EHSA 2026 Top 3 winner box is live at republicofheat.com/de-en/discovery-set/euhsa_top3, with further EHSA selection boxes at republicofheat.com/de-en/hot-sauce-sets.
PRESS RESOURCES Press kit (photos, logos, AI lifestyle composites credited Republic of Heat / European Hot Sauce Awards 2026): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10Ud1SXg9d7Xf-E4g_2haWvDtIz6k9EuP?usp=drive_link
ABOUT QUDO'TJES Qudo'tjes is an artisanal producer of chili crisp, and other spicy condiments based in Valkenswaard, North Brabant, founded and run by Gertjan Caris. Every jar is made by hand in Valkenswaard. The range includes Tempestade Chili Crisp (sesame, dates, garlic) and Stormur Chili Crisp (smoky, applewood, walnut). Both are available at qudotjes.com.
ABOUT THE EUROPEAN HOT SAUCE AWARDS The European Hot Sauce Awards (EHSA) is the professional competition for commercially produced hot sauces in Europe, run annually since 2024 from heatawards.eu. EHSA was born out of the Berlin Chili Festival, which has run since 2019 and returns 29–31 May 2026, and became an independent competition in 2024. Over 200 sauces from producers across the continent were entered in 2026. Entries are judged blind across five criteria: aroma, heat profile, flavour, creativity and finish. The 2026 edition covers 16 categories, with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals awarded across multiple positions in each. Each category also names a Best in Category, the top Gold. EHSA is run independently of any single producer or retailer.
ABOUT REPUBLIC OF HEAT Republic of Heat is a European hot sauce subscription designed to show off the flavours coming out of Europe and help solve the distribution problem independent makers face. Founded June 2025 in Berlin by Nathan "Naga" Austin and Simon "Scoville" Gardner. The Discovery subscription delivers three handpicked craft sauces plus a spicy extra to subscribers across the EU each month. Press partner of the European Hot Sauce Awards 2026. republicofheat.com.
PRESS CONTACT Press: Republic of Heat, on behalf of European Hot Sauce Awards contact@republicofheat.com +49 176 41601284
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