A family recipe with heart, heat and intention
By Debbie L. Sklar
At 5 a.m. on Sundays, most people are still asleep. But for Peter Som, the creator behind SOMSAUCE, it’s when his day begins – and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I love every second of it,” he said. “I have to get up early for the farmer’s market, but I’m happy to do it. For my regular job, it’s like, ‘Eh, I’ll sleep in.’ But for this, I’m excited.”
Established in February, SOMSAUCE officially launched its first batch in July and quickly became one of the newest small-batch condiments at the Scripps Ranch, Otay Ranch, and La Jolla farmer’s markets. Som, who turns 33 next month, started the business from a family tradition – and a spark of inspiration during the pandemic.
“During COVID, my family would get together for what we call Butter Beef nights,” he said. “We’d set up an electric griddle and lay out sliced meats, seafood and veggies like onions and mushrooms – basically everything you’d find on a kabob. Everyone cooked family-style right at the table, dipping what they wanted into sauces paired with rice. It’s kind of like Korean BBQ, but on a griddle with butter.”
One day, while preparing the traditional Cambodian steak sauce to take to a Butter Beef night at a friend’s house, Som noticed mangoes sitting on the counter.
“I grabbed them, then went to get habaneros – inspired by my favorite Buffalo Wild Wings flavor – and decided to remix the sauce,” he said. “That’s how SOMSAUCE was born.”
The result is a tangy, spicy blend rooted in Cambodian flavors but reimagined for all palates. The name SOMSAUCE is a nod to his last name and plays into the tagline, “You want some sauce? Then put SOMSAUCE on it!”
Som works in IT during the week, but SOMSAUCE has quickly become his passion project. He sells each five-ounce bottle for $10 and offers samples on corn tortilla chips at his booths.
“People come back and tell me they put it on everything,” he said. “I had one woman say, ‘I bought your sauce and put it on everything, everything!’ That kind of feedback is awesome.”
What makes SOMSAUCE stand out in a market full of condiments is its depth – and its energy. Som describes it as umami-forward, based on a traditional Cambodian steak sauce made from fish sauce, garlic, Thai chilis, lime and sugar. But there’s something else he adds that can’t be bottled on a label: intention.
“In Cambodian culture, whenever there’s a major event – you buy a new car, move into a house or start a business – you bless it,” he said. “When I launched my first batch, I had a Buddhist monk perform a blessing.”
Som even has a video of it.
That sense of faith and positivity drives everything he does, down to the name and energy behind his product.
“I want my sauce to be blessed with good intentions,” he said. “Whatever I make, I want it to bring something positive to whoever eats it.”
Som isn’t new to entrepreneurship. He previously ran a kids’ affirmation card game, but found his real calling in food.
“My friend told me, ‘Why aren’t you doing food? You’ve been passionate about it since high school.’ He was right,” Som said.
Since launching, he has already been in talks for collaborations with local restaurants, such as Cross Street Chicken.
“The owner tried my sauce and said, ‘You’ve got to talk to my head chef – we need to collab,’” he said.
Larger grocery chains might be in his future, but for now, he’s content growing slowly and learning the rhythms of each market.
“They all have different energies,” Som said. “Bev and the team at Scripps are amazing. Everyone there is just awesome.”
Som’s parents are proud, even if they still worry.
“My mom asked, ‘Are you sure this is going to work?’ I told her, ‘If it doesn’t, there’ll be a next thing. Don’t worry,’” he said.
With his faith, optimism, and loyal customers, Som doesn’t seem to have much to worry about.
“It’s been going awesome,” he said. “I love it – every second of it.”
Visit the SOMSAUCE booth at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market, held each Thursday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 10045 Carroll Canyon Road.
