Lao Gan Ma chili sauce is having a bit of a moment. You could argue it’s been having a bit of a moment for the past two decades of course, given its runaway popularity in China. But right now it’s getting a load of attention beyond its traditional fanbase too — with WWE figurehead and Mandarin-speaker John Cena the latest to profess his love for the “Old Godmother”.

Cena, who took up studying Mandarin after WWE asked him to try out a few key phrases for a China-focused promotional video, recently took to Weibo to offer up this clip of him showering the sauce in praise, having just showered a meal in the sauce:

Taking a break from filming on the set of Jackie Chan-led action flick Project X (“set at a Chinese-run oil refinery in the Middle East”, apparently), Cena is clear that “this is not an advertisement” and that he has “no relationship with Lao Gan Ma”. Instead, he says, “I just think lots of Chinese people like this sauce and I’m trying to embrace Chinese culture. I eat this sauce with broccoli every day.”

This of course comes hot on the heels of Lao Gan Ma’s appearance at New York Fashion Week, courtesy of label Opening Ceremony:

The Hottest Look at New York Fashion Week SS2019? A Chinese Chili Sauce

Spicy Guizhou sauce brand Lao Gan Ma (“Old Godmother”) has become an unlikely fashion icon after it was used on clothing at New York Fashion Week

Article Sep 14, 2018

Surely we’re only days away from Cena rocking one of those hoodies.