Perk Mexican Coffee-Chile Rub and Seasoning

Bold, smoky, and a little unexpected

Perk is a coffee-and-chile seasoning from Chef Ric Orlando, made for cooks who like big flavor without a lot of fuss. Dark roasted coffee, smoky Mexican chiles, cocoa, warm spices, and a touch of brown sugar come together in a rub that is earthy, savory, gently sweet, and full of depth.

Use it anywhere you want a bold, layered flavor: crust a steak, season roasted vegetables, add depth to portobello mushrooms, stir it into chili, or sprinkle it into taco night. It brings a rich, slow-cooked kind of flavor even when dinner is coming together quickly.

This one has enough smoky heat to be interesting, but it is not just about being spicy. The coffee and cocoa add richness, the chiles bring warmth, and the herbs and spices round everything out. On the Ric-Ter Scale, Perk lands at a 5 — flavorful and lively, but still very usable for everyday cooking.

Chef Ric Orlando is known for bold global flavors, creative cooking, and decades of work in the Hudson Valley food scene. A two-time Chopped champion who also beat Bobby Flay, Ric brings that same chef-driven approach to his small-batch seasonings.

Perk is gluten-free and vegan.