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Subscribe to RSSPaul McIlhenny, the chairman and chief executive of the Louisiana company that makes Tabasco brand pepper sauce, has died at age 68, the McIlhenny Co said on Sunday.
McIlhenny died on Saturday, the family-owned company said in a news release that described him as "a true bon vivant" whose passions included hunting, fishing, wine-tasting and game cooking.
He was a sixth-generation member of the McIlhenny family to live on Avery Island in the southern Louisiana bayou, and a fourth-generation member to produce pepper sauces sold worldwide under the Tabasco brand.
The McIlhenny company was founded in 1868 on Avery Island. It supplies hot sauce to the U.S. presidential plane Air Force One and to Britain's royal family, the Times-Picayune newspaper said on its website.
Paul McIlhenny joined the company in 1967 and directly oversaw the production of its sauces for 13 years, expanding both its line of spicy sauces and the array of aprons, neckties and other merchandise bearing the familiar red-and-green Tabasco logo.
He spent much of his time in New Orleans and in 2006 he reigned as Rex, the first King of Carnival during Mardi Gras celebrations after the city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
"All of McIlhenny Company and the McIlhenny and Avery families are deeply saddened by this news," said Tony Simmons, president of McIlhenny Co and fifth-generation McIlhenny family member. "We will clearly miss Paul's devoted leadership but will more sorely feel the loss of his acumen, his charm and his irrepressible sense of humor."
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Voyage à un DIEU mon ami
Never really liked Tabasco that well but aside from salt & pepper a plain old bottle of "Louisiana hot sauce" is a must for a well dressed table in Texas.
It'd be kinda cool to pickle his body in Tabasco sauce. It would probably embalm it forever.
Visted Avery Island with my son this past summer, we love Tabasco and hope they send Paul off with a big bottle, RIP.
As if it wasn't hot enough in hell before.....
Tabasco is awesome stuff. Pepper goes well with so many things. I like it best on pepper steak. Just a dash, fried right in at the end.
Tabasco original is an American icon and a standard condiment nation-wide. The Chipotle is amazing on hamburgers. RIP, Paul and may the McIllhenny family live long and prosper.
Not my favorite, but I always have at least a couple flavors of Tabasco in my collection. Regular has more heat than flavor, Chipoltle is the best.
Ennama guy you are an idiot.
Eggs, pizza, wings, ribs, bowl of chili, hell you can put that sh*t on flip flop and it would be good. Sad to see ya go there boss man. Hope they can keep the quality in the product.
I am rarely sick, I believe it's because of Tabasco. I love the taste, jes' right. I lived in the midwest for a while. A bo!ttle went with me to every restaurant. The food was okay, but it needed a kick or two. I beg the McIllhenny family, don't sell out the company to someone who'll screw up the formula or procedures, PLEASE. thanks for the taste Paul. God bless
Tabasco sauce: the gateway drug of fiery foods. I've had many, many bottles of Tabasco and many, many bottles of stronger stuff as well. Loved every drop of them.
Tabasco at its strongest, most "fiery" doesn't have nearly the heat of, say, Dave's Insanity, or Blazing Saddles - but it's an all-purpose seasoning, not intended for extreme heat applications. I liked their spicy soy sauce for general Asian cooking
Cholula>Tabasco
WE use it all the time at the county lockup. The officers love it.
Rare to see family owned companies of this size still existing. Another is SC Johnson. It's owned by five family members. My distant cousins! I could use a million or two! Come on guys he was my great great grandfather too!
Goes down smooth but hot. Comes out smooth but hot. He went out smooth and cold.
Love the stuff. A bottle always near me.
Will is casket be packed with vinegar and peppers for the new flavor in a few years?
Rest in peace, you Baron of the Burn...
*salutes*
While I've graduated from Tobasco to sauces such as Blairs' After Death, (try that weak tongues!) I still keep some Tobasco original and habenaro in the fridge. In a few minutes I will go up and fix myself some Buffalo wings which I will sprinkle with Tobasco to commemorate his passing. Rest in eternal peace, sir!
My son is 16, but he has LOVED Tabasco since he was two. YES, TWO YEARS OLD! Before I get hate mail, he wasn't given it because he was misbehaving my husband was eating it with some eggs and my son wanted some on his. My husband put a VERY small amount on it thinking he wouldn't like it, nope he wanted more....The rest we say in our family is history. I believe our family should own stock, he goes through one large bottle a week...Your presence will be missed Paul...RIP.
A true American original. A staple in every kitchen.
I will pray for this family and may Paul rest in peace.
I am a pepper connoisseur and I just don't think that Tabasco is as hot as it use to be. I grow all kinds of peppers. I bet none of you know how that stuff gets red? The green peppers have to turn red and then they are grind into powder. They are Cayenne. Salt, peppers and vinegar that is the only ingredients, oh unless you count the bottle and the cap. Hot sauce is great when you are out of your homemade and put up a lot of of it.
Paul spoke at my CIA graduation in 1982. Hot sauce has become very competitive since then! He was truly proud of the family business and was an enthusiastic participant. McIlhenny Tabasco is an American icon in the same category as Heinz Ketchup and Hellman's Mayonnaise. Accept no substitutions in your pantries people! Heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and co-workers.
I'm heading for the kitchen to try some hot sauce on whatever I can get my hands on. Thanks for all the tips. Gee, I'm Mcllhenny's age. You don't think it was the hot sauce do you?
I discovered this wonderful sauce when I was about 13. Before that I was scared of black pepper. It got me through middle school lunches
i probably have 20 different brands of hot sauce in the cupboard. the family also had a famous running back that played for the detroit lions. name was spelled a little different... hurrying hugh mcelhenny. enjoyed watching him carry the ball.
potato
You are showing you age! Mine too.