After spending many years as an Eco-chef feeding Jedi and Arab royalty a man from Rowledge has now developed a product to bring the heat to sweet.

Dan Shearman, a chef turned condiment creator, was inspired by the American brand Mike’s Hot Honey. Which he tried on a trip to Brooklyn, New York in 2014. After eating the condiment on pizza, Dan tried to source a similar product in the UK with no success, so he decided to make one instead.

Through determination and hard work, he created Wilderbee, a chilli-infused honey. Dan has made recipes available online about how to best use the product.

The “top secret” process of making the sauces has led to three products, two of which have received Great Taste Awards.

Growing up in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, part of Dan’s move to Surrey was to make sure his son was involved in nature as he was. Together they enjoy going to Alice Holt Forest, Bourne Wood and swimming in the Frensham ponds.

Dan was concerned with how certain unethical and unsustainable companies in the industry were treating bees. With insects being artificially inseminated and the Queen’s wings being clipped alongside companies putting various additives in the sauces.

He said: “We have seen a growth in conscious consumerism and when the big companies take notice of this shift we will be able as an industry to lower prices for a sustainable food system.

“Sometimes you pick up a product read the label and it is like a school science project with all the chemical names. We want to create a product with natural resources.”

Wilderbee Hot Honey is available at https://wilderkitchenfood.com/shop. It is also available in shops and you find your nearest store via: https://wilderkitchenfood.com/findus.