Tucked away in a manufacturing facility in Bethpage, a small-batch seasoning company is spicing up Long Island kitchens and farmers markets—one flavorful blend at a time.
Dudes Gourmet, the brainchild of Babylon resident Tom Gisbert, launched just months before the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world — and the food industry—upside down. But what started as a fun idea among friends has quickly turned into a locally loved brand offering over 35 seasonings and spice blends, all free of fillers, preservatives or additives.
“I started the company, no joke, like six months before the pandemic hit,” said Gisbert. “It was on a whim with my friends. We were scrolling through social media and thought, ‘We can do a better seasoning company that’s more fun and more relatable than what’s out there.’”
From the start, Dudes Gourmet set out to do something different, combining quality ingredients with playful branding and content-rich social media. Gisbert’s background as a chef gave him the creative edge to start experimenting with blends that not only worked in professional kitchens but also appealed to home cooks and picky eaters alike.
One of the brand’s top sellers is Honey Chipotle, a sweet-and-savory blend Gisbert formulated with his nine nieces and nephews in mind.
“It has just enough natural honey to be sweet and just enough salt to kind of get your electrolytes back in balance,” he said. “It’s perfect in scrambled eggs and kids will eat it on roasted broccoli; they’ll eat it on anything.”
Dudes Gourmet’s early lineup included six core seasonings: Honey Chipotle, Signature Steak, Signature Burger, Signature Chicken, Pitmaster BBQ and Lucy’s Italian Blend—named after Gisbert’s grandmother. Since then, the collection has grown to about 35 blends, including seasonal and limited-run products like the tongue-in-cheek “Chicken Who Peaked in High School.”
But Dudes Gourmet isn’t just about flavor—it’s about making food approachable. Gisbert says his mission is to help people feel more confident cooking at home, even with just basic skills.
“We just want people to eat better and learn how to cook,” he said. “[Home delivered] food is expensive. Knowing how to cook a chicken breast—it’s an essential life skill.”
Though Gisbert lacks formal culinary school training, his education came from a lifetime of hands-on experience. His father owned several restaurants on Long Island, including Julian’s in Hauppauge in the 1980s and Havana Beach Club in Montauk. Gisbert worked in the kitchens growing up and went on to cook under celebrity chefs like Eric Levine and Chris Coleman.
“I’ve worked with some of the best chefs in the world over the last 16 years,” he said. “Baking is science—I don’t bake. But cooking, cooking is instinctual; you can fix things on the fly, add salt, acid, a fat. It’s creative.”
The Dudes Gourmet brand reflects that creativity, offering blends that range from low-sodium options to an Old Bay-style mix with no fillers. Some blends are tailored to special diets, including vegan offerings and others are just plain fun.
The company operates solely online and through local farmers markets, including weekly booths in Northport, Babylon, Montauk, and Patchogue. Gisbert said that while there’s no walk-up shop yet, he’s at the markets most weekends or has team members at satellite booths in towns like Sayville, Farmingdale, Long Beach, and New Hyde Park.
While he’s staying busy this summer with farmer’s market sales, Gisbert is looking ahead to his long-term vision: a small, chef-curated market.
“I’d love to have my own market, an intimate one,” he said. “With daily-prepared salads, fresh meats, maybe three vegan shaker salads. We already do a roasted chicken salad and a stuffed pork chop with Honey Chipotle cornbread and mozzarella. People go crazy for that.”
The business may be growing, but Gisbert hasn’t lost sight of what made him fall in love with food in the first place—his family.
“Some of the best memories that everybody has are around the table,” he said. “That’s why we named Lucy’s Italian Blend after my grandmother. We want every kid to grow up knowing which spice goes with what and to feel confident making food for their family.”
For more information or to shop the full lineup of spice blends and find market locations, visit www.dudesgourmet.com or follow @DudesGourmet on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
