At La Pimenterie, we love to push the boundaries of spice, and this time, we're doing it with a touch of glamour and audacity. For the launch of Rose Flash, the very first pink sauce in Quebec, we collaborated with the fabulous Rita Baga, a drag icon in Quebec and far beyond. This collaboration celebrates originality and limitless creativity.
In this exclusive interview, Julien tells us about the sauce's creation process at La Pimenterie, and Rita talks about her love for hot sauces, her role in creating Rose Flash, and what this sauce represents to her.
For those who don't know Rita Baga yet, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey in the world of drag?
Rita is a discreet, subtle, and delicate character I created in 2007. She's an extension of Jean-François, the sweet side of his Mini-Wheat! She made her way at Cabaret Mado for 15 years and was revealed to the general public as a finalist on the first season of Canada’s Drag Race in 2020 and by participating in Big Brother Célébrités in 2021. Since then, she has appeared on numerous stages and sets with her two show tours and, since 2023, has been the host of her own franchise, Drag Race Belgique.
Are you a big fan of hot sauces? Do you have a good tolerance for them? What defines a good hot sauce for you?
I LOVE hot sauce! Definitely a "sauce person," I put it on everything. I almost always have a healthy breakfast sandwich every morning, and I alternate between different sauces. The common thread: they're all slightly spicy! I have a good tolerance; I remember sending a dish back to the kitchen twice in India because the chef was challenging me (he had been told I had a good tolerance), and I went further than he thought. We had a good laugh! But since my gastrectomy in 2017, I can't eat as spicy as I used to. Let's say I'm at a maximum of 6 out of 10, whereas before, I was close to a 9!
Rita, what appealed to you about partnering with La Pimenterie for the Rose Flash sauce?
It's a Quebec company that I adore (I already knew them and used their products), and I thought it was a good "product and personality" match!
Julien, can you tell us about the genesis and the idea behind the sauce?
The idea of creating a pink or purple sauce had been one of our crazy projects for a long time. In August 2024, we started thinking about it more seriously, figuring that Valentine's Day 2025 would be the perfect occasion to launch it! As a big fan of oysters, I wanted to design a pink sauce that would pair perfectly with them. The collaboration with Rita came a bit later, when the product development was already well underway. The result was so wild that we decided to approach her at that point.
What were the main challenges encountered during the product's creation?
We first researched existing pink sauces and came across the story of an American entrepreneur and her famous Pink Sauce. It was a total fiasco: the sauce contained ingredients not approved for consumption, which turned into a real scandal! Suffice to say, we started with the clear goal of creating the most natural pink sauce possible. Very quickly, we also had the idea of a double rose concept: not only would the sauce be pink, but it would also contain rose.
Creating a sauce with a specific color in mind is a unique challenge. From the start, you have to work with a limited list of ingredients to avoid altering the desired shade. Each addition must be carefully measured so as not to deviate from the intended visual result.
The first tests seemed promising, but we quickly realized that the color changed after a few days, losing its vibrancy. So we did multiple trials, letting the sauce age to observe its behavior over time. This process took us several weeks, even months, with a lot of trial and error. It got to the point where I had to continue the tests at home on weekends to finally find the right proportion, the one that gave us both the right flavor profile and the perfect color.
Rita, did Rose Flash accurately reflect your personality?
Absolutely; it's pink, a little spicy, but still accessible. It's like you're describing me!
Julien, could you tell us about the creative process for the sauce's image and visual identity? Did this sauce require a new creative approach?
Finding the name was a real challenge. We wanted something punchy, short, and bilingual. Rose came naturally: it evokes both the pain (like a spicy burn) and the floral side of the sauce. Flash came a bit later, and it was a no-brainer, because in addition to evoking an explosion of flavors, it was also the name of Rita's album! It checked all the boxes. For the visual identity, we knew from the start that we wanted an ultra-vibrant label. It had to be PINK, there was no escaping it!
On the design side, I contacted Jonathan Lefrançois of Pulp & Pixel, who had created La Pimenterie's visual identity in its early days. He immediately loved the project and teamed up with an illustrator who had already worked on one of Rita's books. So we were in good hands. As soon as we validated the name Rose Flash, a minimalist, very 80s, Vogue-style aesthetic emerged. It was perfect for creating a truly unique bottle in the world of hot sauces. Surprisingly, the design was completed very quickly because we had super tight deadlines!
Rita, how would you describe the flavors of this sauce to someone who hasn't tasted it yet?
I find that you can subtly taste the berries and the rose, without it reminding you of soap gum. The taste is well-rounded and very slightly spicy. There's a really good mix of flavors; it seems like every "bite" is a little different.
Julien, how would you describe the sauce's profile?
It's a truly sophisticated sauce, where the magic happens in the blending of the ingredients. Each element, taken separately, doesn't give the same result at all as when it's combined with the others. There are fruits in the sauce, but it's absolutely not a fruity sauce. What makes it truly unique is this alchemy. In short, it's a tangy, aromatic, and floral sauce, a real explosion of refined flavors!
Rita, this sauce is being released at a big moment in your career. Can you tell us about your projects for 2025? How do you hope this sauce will be received by your audience?
In 2025, we are experiencing big things indeed: it's the launch of my first album, FLASH, and a musical tour paying homage to the 80s: SPRAYNET. I think the sauce complements this offering well: we stay within the 80s aesthetic, but we find the touch of Baga originality. The sauce has been super well-received, and we're only getting praise. Interesting fact: we always bring some on the road during the tour and we sell quite a bit!
Julien, does a partnership with a public figure certainly bring a change in approach for the launch? Can you tell us about the launch strategy for Rose Flash and its goals?
For the launch of Rose Flash, we had to coordinate for an almost simultaneous release between Europe and Quebec! Rita is indeed well-known in Belgium thanks to her role as a host on the show Drag Race there, which allowed us to open new doors and find new points of sale. So we had to anticipate and send quantities of sauce as early as December to be ready to launch at the end of January. It was the first time we had prepared a launch so far in advance, and believe me, it was a real logistical challenge!
What are your ideal dishes for tasting Rose Flash?
Oysters, without a doubt! It's the perfect combination. Otherwise, it also pairs really well with a chicken dish or a grilled halloumi salad. It's truly delicious; it adds a touch of freshness and finesse.
A final word for those about to discover Rose Flash?
Dare to try it and you'll understand!
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