Sauce by Paprika

John Gendi

Where are you from/where did you grow up?

I’m Egyptian but grew up in Abu Dhabi in the UAE. I initially moved to NY for work after college and fell in love with Brooklyn and have lived here ever since.

Why did you start your business?

I started Sauce by Paprik because I have a passion for food and more importantly…sauce. I used to make tahini from the age of 6 and eat it as a dip/snack and when I moved to the US I realized that most people that use tahini are using it incorrectly so I wanted to share how I ate it with the world (with a few modifications)!

How does your work connect to Brooklyn?

Being at the epicenter of food diversity, Brooklyn’s food scene has inspired me to create my sauce line. I also have lived in Brooklyn for over 6 years and it’s shaped my palette and the way I think about food and that is seen in our tahini line.