Meet the Team

Pepper growers, a food scientist, a trained chef, and a heat enthusiast — the people behind every profile, comparison, and guide on this site.

5 writers · 200+ varieties covered · Every fact checked

Marco Castillo

Editorial Contributor

224 pepper profiles 2 guides

Contributor to Know The Pepper reference pages, pepper profiles, and sitewide editorial updates.

View all articles by Marco

Research Contributor

4 guides

Contributor focused on research-backed heat data, source review, and factual accuracy checks.

View all articles by Karen

Editorial Contributor

1 guides

Contributor to Know The Pepper editorial content.

View all articles by Rafael

Recipe Contributor

15 pepper profiles

Contributor focused on recipes, kitchen guides, and substitution-oriented pepper content.

View all articles by Sofia

Comparison Contributor

9 comparisons

Contributor focused on comparison pages, tasting notes, and reader-facing reference content.

View all articles by James

Every SHU number is sourced

No number goes on the site without a reference to a published study, USDA database, or verified measurement.

Growing tips are field-tested

Our trial garden tests advice across multiple soil types and climates before it gets published.

Recipes are cooked, not guessed

Substitution ratios come from side-by-side cooking tests, not theoretical calculations.

Comparisons include firsthand tasting

Every head-to-head comparison includes raw, cooked, and sauce-form tasting notes.