Max Boonthanakit grew up eating chili oil. Thai side of the family, Chinese side of the family, it was always on the table. When he started making his own, the goal was simple: make one that actually tasted like something.
Boon Sauce is slow-cooked in Los Angeles in small batches. The base is canola oil, loaded with chilies, shallots, garlic, anchovies, fennel, and Sichuan peppercorn. The anchovies are the secret. They dissolve into the oil and give it a savory depth that most chili oils skip entirely. The Sichuan peppercorn adds a gentle tingle without numbing you out. The heat sits right in the middle, enough to notice, not enough to ruin your meal.
Spice level: 6/10 🔥 Size: 8oz
Use it on eggs, rice, noodles, pizza, dumplings, avocado toast, grilled fish, and roasted vegetables. Stir it into dressings. Use it as a cooking oil. Put it on things you wouldn't expect and see what happens. It works on basically everything.
The chip starts with a Kennebec potato, a variety known for its thin skin, low moisture, and clean flavor. Thick cut, kettle cooked, and then dusted with a spice blend that came directly out of the Boon Sauce kitchen.
You get chili heat, roasted garlic, and a savory finish that lingers. It's not a subtle chip and it's not trying to be. If you want something light and forgettable, this isn't it.
Size: 3oz Flavor: Chili & Garlic
Good on their own. Better crushed over a bowl of ramen or a plate of fried eggs. Made in Los Angeles in limited batches so when they're gone, they're gone.
This one started with Hawaii's Hurricane Popcorn, the ballpark snack that figured out sweet and savory belong together on popcorn. Chef Max took that idea and kept going.
Each kernel gets a thin sugar glaze first, for crunch and a little sweetness. Then seaweed and a custom seasoning blend. Then Boon Sauce chili oil to finish it off. The combination hits sweet, spicy, salty, and umami all at the same time, which sounds like a lot but in practice just tastes exactly right.
Size: 4oz
It's the kind of snack where you reach in for one piece and look down ten minutes later to find the bag empty. Made in Los Angeles in small batches.
The original Boon Sauce has fans who think it's plenty hot. Those people have not tried this one.
Xtra Hot is made with 100% chile de árbol, a small Mexican pepper that delivers fast, sharp heat with a bright, almost citrusy quality to it. Garlic and anchovies hold down the savory base, same as the original, but the heat here is a different animal. It builds quickly and it stays.
Spice level: 9/10 🔥🔥 Size: 8oz
Use it as a finishing oil when you want heat front and center. Good on tacos, grilled meats, seafood, noodles, and eggs. Mix it with mayo and you have the best aioli you've ever made. Add it to a marinade and it'll actually come through on the other side. If you like your food hot, this is your everyday sauce.