Sriracha CEO Has No Idea Who Made The Iconic Rooster Logo

There's nothing better than the sweet sight of that rooster printed on the most beloved bottle of hot sauce in the land. But even though the Sriracha rooster logo is iconic, David Tran, founder of Huy Fong Foods, has no idea where it comes from. In an interview with Modern Farmer, when asked about the origin story of the rooster, Tran only remembered that years ago, in Vietnam, he asked a street artist for a drawing of a rooster. The drawing eventually became the logo, but Tran has no idea who the artist is.

"We don't have a connection," Tran said. "And even me, I don't remember who he is."

Then in 1975, Tran started making his hot sauce, and traveled from Vietnam, to Hong Kong, and then to America—all the while carrying the rooster sketch with him. Eventaulyl he commissioned a San Francisco Chinatown  artist to re-draw the sketch.

So why a rooster? It refers back to the Chinese zodiac sign. Roosters are deep-thinking and honest with a strong sense of self-respect. We assume the rooster also has a strong nose for delicious spicy sauce.

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Joanna Fantozzi is an Associate Editor with The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter@JoannaFantozzi