The Making of Texas Pete's 53-Minute 'Spaghetti Western'

A silly sagebrush showdown based on recipes

The Texas Pete brand is all about bringing bold flavor to things that have grown tired and need some zip. Instead of leaning into traditional hot sauce moments like wings or game-day foods, we went to a place no other hot sauce brands were playing. A routine staple in need of a kick. You guessed it, good ol’ spaghetti.

Now, Texas Pete embraces all things cowboy. The mascot is a cowboy. It’s right there on the bottle. So, what would a pro-cowboy brand do with spaghetti? The creative team’s pitch: “What if we made a Spaghetti Western? A full-length film based entirely on spaghetti recipes.” So that’s what we did, extending the brand’s “Let Flavor Run Wild” platform in a new way to create “Texas Pete Spaghetti Western.”

The Johnny Alfredo vs. Clyde Carbonara Showdown

Inspired by the genre, the long-form film blends awesomely shot storytelling with spaghetti recipes, using humor and parody to keep things fun. Characters like Johnny Alfredo and Clyde Carbonara live in a stylized Western world where scenes are interrupted—or enhanced—by the making of Texas Pete–infused spaghetti dishes.

It began when we found a great “Wild West” shooting location in rural New Jersey. Seriously. It was a cowboy theme park that was abandoned for the winter, and it gave us great-looking interiors and exteriors that read like a real 1800s-era Western town. We set up video village in the park’s old general store, complete with wood floors and taxidermy on the walls.

Here’s a trailer:

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The shoot featured a live-action set and a stylized food set, which were shot simultaneously over two days. None of the sets had heat, so if you look closely, you can see our actors’ breath in the 15-degree weather.

Having shot and edited the pieces, we launched like a real movie. Social teasers dropped in January, hinting at recipes without revealing the full concept. A trailer followed on National Hot Sauce Day, alongside posters and character reveals that positioned the campaign as a legitimate film release.

The premiere took place at A/Perture cinema in Winston-Salem, N.C., near the brand’s headquarters. Media, influencers, and fans attended the screening followed by a reception featuring the actual pasta dishes from the film.

There was popcorn in cowboy boot-shaped boxes. There were laughs. There were tears. And there were credits—lovingly sung by our creative team—that pushed the runtime past 40 minutes, comfortably qualifying it as a “feature-length film.”

The full flick:

Play

After the premiere, the film launched online, supported by recap content and influencer coverage driving viewers to watch and explore the recipes—all developed by Texas Pete’s culinary team and all genuinely worth making. Seriously, you need to try them all because they are tasty.

Our Short Takeaway from the Long-Form Play?

Audiences have a big appetite for long-form content. And hot sauce infused spaghetti.

In a landscape dominated by short-form content, our campaign takes advantage of a growing trend: when brands create something genuinely entertaining, audiences are willing to spend more time with it. Instead of asking for attention, the film invites you in and takes you along for the ride.

By turning a simple product demo into a long-form entertainment experience, the Texas Pete Spaghetti Western gives folks spicy recipes alongside funny, classic Western satire.

Forty minutes of noodles, spice, and ridiculousness—exactly what the internet wants from a spaghetti video. Everyone knows that.

CREDITS

Cast
Johnny Alfredo – Jack Teitelbaum
Deputy Al Dente – J.D. Demers
Clyde Carbonara – Richard Mark Jordan
Mary Marinara – Sophia Aranda
Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce Bottle as Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce Bottle

Garner Foods
Roger Beahm – VP of Marketing
Katie Chaffin – Director of Marketing
Jordan Wetteroff – Brand Manager
Logan Scherr – Marketing Coordinator

McKinney
Lyle Yetman – Co-Chief Creative Officer
Omid Amidi – Co-Chief Creative Officer
Will Dean – Executive Creative Director
Jamie Steentofte – Associate Creative Director, Art
Knowlton Bourne – Associate Creative Director, Copy
Erynn Mattera – Associate Creative Director, Art
Nate Nielsen – Junior Art Director, Copy
Jane Reese – Junior Art Director, Art
Kerry O’Connor – Group Strategy Director
Chandler Condrone – Strategist
Tamara Del Valle Beams – Group Strategy Director, Social
Hanna Heaney – Social Strategist
Ryan Gardiner – Group Client Director
Gillian McBrayer – Account Director
Marc Wilson – Account Supervisor
Jamie DelGrosso – Project Manager

CYLNDR Studios
Kara O’Halloran – Executive Director, Production
Pierre Roache – Director of Production
Cristina Martinez – Sr. Producer
Nicolette Kolb – Sr. Business Affairs Manager

Attention Arc
Michelle Wilson – VP, Account Services
Cassie Paterno – Supervisor, Account Services
Blake Collins – Media Planner

Wright Films
Andrew Wright – Executive Producer
Ryan Polly – Director
Dave Katz – Food Director
Alexander Gould – Producer
Lauren Bloomberg – Food Stylist
Christopher Sneddon – Editor

FleishmanHillard – Public Relations

Wildfire
Eli Baker – Web Developer
Kevin Brooks – Technology Lead
Elaine Borgmeier – UI/UX Creative Director
Sarah Chandler – Account Supervisor
Shelby Nash – Account Executive