Kyle Toland, Director of Operations, Spark, Oklahoma City

“An ingredient I’ve been surprised by is our candied jalapeños. I thought that the sugar would overpower the jalapeño flavor or take away from their heat, but they’re surprisingly well balanced. Candied jalapeños provide the perfect sweet-heat component.”

Toland uses candied jalapeños in two distinct menu items. The Shaka Spark Burger features a 4-oz. beef patty, Swiss cheese, spiced pineapple, lettuce and candied jalapeños, with a “Hang Loose” sauce similar to a teriyaki barbecue sauce. He also features the candied jalapeños (essentially pickled jalapeños sweetened with simple syrup) in the Spark Power Bowl, where a base of quinoa and couscous is tossed in lemon juice and topped with crispy chickpeas, red onion, tomato, almonds, chia seeds and a dollop of avocado hummus.