Our Story

Our Story
by Founder Tony Nuñez

Let’s take it back to Los Angeles, where it all began. I grew up in a Mexican American household where salsas were always on the table. Food brought our family together—especially in our home. My mother was an incredible cook, and my family and I have always been picky when it comes to food. My mom set the bar high with her amazing flavors.

I’m the oldest of the children from my mom’s second marriage, but we’re a big family that includes my older brothers and sisters. Whenever we were all together, you better believe there was fantastic food around. Needless to say, I was introduced to spicy food early on—with dishes like enchiladas, chile con carne, and mole.

In my teens, my mom, siblings, and I moved to Texas to be closer to family after she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. My uncle—who’s also my godfather—always hosted cookouts, especially carnitas. These gatherings brought everyone together, just like back home.

My mom passed away during my college years, but her passion for food and tradition lives on in me. She set such a high standard for flavor that I couldn’t find salsas anywhere that compared to hers. So, I began replicating some of her dishes and salsa recipes. Over time, I started crafting my own creations—fusing traditional Mexican flavors with non-traditional ones. What began as a hobby evolved into a true passion for great food.

Another passion of mine is film. In my twenties, I made my own movies and worked as a photojournalist for 15 years, filming local news stories. But something shifted in me after watching the movie Chef in 2014—a story about a man who follows his heart and starts a food truck. That movie lit a fire in me.

Inspired by flavors from my mom, I started developing dishes for a potential food truck. In our family, we say a place is only as good as its salsas—so I focused on that first. I began experimenting with different salsa recipes and gave each one a movie-themed name to combine my two passions. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes was the first I created.

One day, when my wife (then girlfriend) brought home a nutty, smoky sauce called salsa macha, I was intrigued—it was new to me. Inspired to impress her, I created my own version. It didn’t take long to perfect. I called it Machete. She loved it so much that she encouraged me to enter it into the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival in 2019. That salsa won first place in the Individual Specialty category—and that’s when Fantastic Fuego was born.

After the win, I shifted my focus from a food truck to selling salsas professionally. I began researching and developing the brand. But just as I made the announcement, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. So in 2020, I used the time to sell small batches to friends and family. It allowed me to get feedback and refine my recipes in my home kitchen. Before I knew it, friends of friends were placing orders too.

In 2021, we made it official. We secured permits and moved into a commercial kitchen. We started selling at farmers markets, pop-up events, and a few local stores. It felt like a calling to share these salsas and sauces with complete strangers—and see them light up with joy. As word spread, the business gained momentum, and I recruited a few people to help grow our reach.

In the fall of 2022, I left my news job to focus full-time on Fantastic Fuego, with the goal of scaling the business. Since then, we've won multiple awards from the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival and the international Scovie Awards. We’ve built a loyal following we call our Fuego Fans. And we even got into Central Market across Texas—my dream store.

People love our products and continue to support us because we offer a wide variety of bold, quality flavors they can’t find anywhere else. Our fans describe our salsas as fun, unique, and inspiring. We’re changing the game by putting flavor first, fire second—all while using clean, honest ingredients.

Like many small businesses, we’ve faced real challenges when it comes to scaling. We’ve kept going with limited funds, but I’ve always refused to compromise on quality. Someday, I hope to have the capital to grow the business, but never at the expense of what makes Fantastic Fuego special. I won’t let our salsas become the typical watered-down versions you see on grocery store shelves.

While the future is still unfolding, I’m having the time of my life sharing these inspired recipes with the world, one jar at a time. It’s truly an honor to carry on this legacy—one my late mother passed down to me with love and tradition.

May Fantastic Fuego always be with you.

Stay spicy, family.