Andre Springer

Bed Stuy, Brooklyn

Andre Springer, the owner of Shaquanda’s, is a Brooklyn gem. Shaquanda’s Hot Sauce was born from Springer’s long-time drag persona that dominated Bushwig with her food-inspired drag. The sauce was incepted for a drag show back in 2013 as part of her bit, before quickly turning into a thriving business of its own. Today you can find Shaquanda’s Hot Sauce in stores up and down the East Coast and in California! Shaquanda will live on forever as the face on each hot sauce bottle, even when she isn’t performing around Brooklyn.

Full name, age, where are you from?

Andre Springer, Bed Stuy Brooklyn.
What is your title and where do you work?

I am Queen of Shaquanda Will Feed You.

Was food a big part of your upbringing?

Food was a Huge part of my life growing up, spending time in the kitchen with my mother and also in my grandmother’s kitchen was a huge part of my life. From pickling peppers, making ice cream, and preparing and cooking dinner.

What are your earliest memories of dining out?

Ooh that’s a hard one, I remember dining out for as long as I can remember eating. I do have a particularly odd sense of memory. I remember my mom taking my older sister and I to Coney Island when I was 5 years old and we ate at different stands and counters. Fast food was a very small part of my childhood, but when it happened we were always sooo happy. My first restaurant sit-down experience was an Italian restaurant in Long Island, I don’t remember it being that particularly special but i do recall my mother saying she could’ve made it better. And to be honest, I’m sure she would’ve made her own delicious version, different, but not necessarily better.  
If you could give a piece of advice to someone who wanted to pursue your career, what would it be?

Be patient, be openminded, save up your money.    
What's your favorite hot sauce on the menu?
Shaquanda’s

What is your favorite place to go out and eat at and what are you ordering?

Dick and Jane’s Bar Room, oysters ( you can also taste my hot sauce here!) and shishito peppers yummm and a small full menu in case I’m hungry. The cocktails are yummmm.
Is there anything new and exciting coming up for you? 

Absolutely, You are the first publicly to hear, but we are coming out with a line of wet seasonings! Fish, Jerk, and Bouillon ( a riff on the traditional Barbadian Green seasonings).