When he’s not busy touring the world as the drummer for Alexisonfire, Jordan Hastings likes to kick back and fire up the grill… and he’s turned it into quite the side project. Along with friend and colleague Joel Carriere, Hastings is also the co-founder of Dine Alone Foods, a Canadian-made line of sauces which includes a classic Southern Blues BBQ Sauce, a sweet and smoky Northern Soul Chipotle BBQ Sauce and a spicy Rock N’ Roll Hot Sauce. We caught up with the music man to find out more…
How did being in the music business inspire your love of food and cooking?
Food and music have always gone hand-in-hand for me. My mother and grandmother taught me how to cook at a very young age and I’ve loved it ever since. I’m pretty sure if you were to ask any musician if they’ve ever worked in the food industry 90 per cent would probably say yes. I used to be a baker at a local Burlington, Ontario bagel shop before I started touring full-time. This funded me to get further into music and paid for drums, guitars, etc. in the beginning of my career. Since then, I have always loved being in my kitchen or performing on stage.
What made you want to launch a line of sauces?
Joel and I have been friends and colleagues for over a decade. He managed Alexisonfire and released our records on Dine Alone Records. Over the years we did a lot of travelling around the world and would find cool restaurants and hot sauce shops. We’d talk about how we needed to bring these flavours back to Canada for our friends and family to enjoy. Our obsession with hot sauce and BBQ would lead to filling our fridges with new-found sauces after a long trip abroad, which then led to developing and fine-tuning our own sauces for everyone to enjoy.
What are three things you can’t live without?
Music, food and trail riding (snowmobiling in the winter, dirt biking/ATVing in the summer).
What are 5 things that are always in your fridge?
My mom’s homemade spicy dill pickles, hummus, hot sauces/BBQ sauces from around the world, beer and meat.
Finish this sentence: I love Toronto because…
…there’s always something going on, whether it’s a great new band or an old favourite. Or a new secret restaurant or a popular staple.
What’s your favourite restaurant?
There’s a tiny restaurant in my hometown (Burlington, Ontario) called Blacktree. It only seats about 30 people and is by far my favourite restaurant. The unique decor and art, paired with its ever-changing menu, always make for an amazing experience.
Let’s get social for a mo’. How can people stay up-to-date with your busy life?
Dine Alone Foods: dinealonefoods.com, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook.
Personal: Twitter, Instagram.
Have you tried Dine Alone Foods’ line of sauces yet? Comment below or tweet us @ViewtheVibe!
