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Not all Memphians say “mane,” but the regional accent does to words what spices do to barbecue: adds distinct flavor. That’s why Moreno McCalpin, founder of Mane Street Seasonings, made “Aye Mane, Say Mane” the all-purpose spice blend of his new seasoning line.

“I’m Memphis to the core,” he said. “I’m a South Memphis kid who was born in LeMoyne Gardens.”

Now living in California, McCalpin said he wanted to blend his chemistry background with his culinary dreams. The idea had been simmering for years, but after relocating to the West Coast with his new bride in 2023, McCalpin decided to bottle Memphis flavor for himself and for anyone else missing it. Mane Street Seasonings was born.

Open one of the bottles and you’ll catch it immediately — the smoky-sweet scent with a Cajun kick. It smells like a Memphis kitchen on a Sunday afternoon.

McCalpin, a South Memphis native raised by his great-grandmother, is a chemist by trade. His great-grandmother prepared meals for him daily and created holiday feasts for their entire family.

“Flavors have always been a part of my life,” McCalpin said. “I’m always mixing things together and figuring them out.”

Though he initially took that love for “mixing and figuring out” to Lane College’s chemistry department, the kitchen was another lab where McCalpin could flex his creative muscle. 

Mane Street Seasonings by Memphis native Moreno McCalpin blend the city's flavors with its culture through blends like Toss Junt and Aye Mane, Say Mane. (Courtesy Mane Street Seasonings)

This year, Mane Street Seasonings launched with four spice blends. Aye Mane, Say Mane is the line’s all-purpose blend, while Red Magic is an apple-and-bourbon seasoning and rub. Toss Junt is a chicken seasoning, and Out Da Mudd is McCalpin’s Cajun seasoning blend.

Even the packaging nods to local pride — bold lettering and brand colors inspired by the Memphis Grizzlies, playful slang that feels right at home and a trolley proudly marked with 901, “so no one confuses a Memphis trolley with a San Francisco trolley.” 

The initial reception went so well that another four blends were released shortly after the launch. Porkety Mane, Ain’t It Mane, Tha Garden and Tha Chicken Mane have joined the lineup, but McCalpin said this is still just the beginning for his company. 

He’s already back in the “lab” mixing up new concoctions, but this time the focus is on sauces. McCalpin hopes to make the entire line available for sale at Memphis-area grocers. And local restaurants have also started stocking his spices.

“We’ve been using it in the restaurant on some of our poultry and shrimp,” said Derrick Craig, owner of Johnnie Mae’s Soul Food Cafe in South Memphis, and McCalpin’s fraternity brother. “The customers really like it, and it’s been selling well. I’m going to put up a banner or a sign so customers know that his products are on some of our food.”

McCalpin’s future business plans include low- and no-sodium versions of the current lineup. As a lab director for a diabetic clinic, McCalpin said he’s seen the need for blends that don’t exacerbate existing health conditions. And as an occasional Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Competition team member, he said he’d love to see Mane Street Seasonings featured in the competition one day.

Mane Street Seasonings are available on the company’s website. 

“I’m just a person who loves food and loves putting different things together,” he said. “Before you even taste it, you know this is Memphis. You should be expecting flavor and boldness from the most beautiful city in the world.”

This week on the Memphis food scene

Petals of Peony’s pork dumplings. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Speaking of spices, rubs and sauces, the Memphis in May International Festival announced that 2026 barbecue competition applications are now being accepted.

In audioland at The Daily Memphian, food is taking over. Holly Whitfield chatted with the woman behind Grecian Gourmet about business, baklava and a whole lot more. And editorial director Mary Cashiola and I got to gab about what a Michelin star could mean for our city and its economy.

If you’re like me and on a mission to explore each of Memphis’ Michelin-recommended restaurants, check out what to order at Petals of a Peony.

Erica Horton discovered a dish perfect for post-workout needs and general tasty nourishment at 711 Social in this week’s $15 Deal.

Find a recipe for apple strudel in The Daily Memphian’s holiday guide. (Kelsey Bowen/The Daily Memphian) 

And we’ve got recipes. Bianca Phillips is making Thanksgiving easy for home cooks with a roundup of our best holiday recipes and where to see the most festive Christmas light displays. Curb Side Casserole shared the secrets to their ambrosia; chef Eli Townsend tells us how to make his pumpkin pate. And Whitfield got Grecian Gourmet owner Corinne Knight to spill the beans on her kotopita (think of a Greek chicken pot pie).

The Cloud Cake from Tous Les Jours, which is opening a new location in Collierville. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Should you (or someone you know) have needs or excess this season, we have a list of places where you can both receive and offer help to make things a bit easier for all of us.

In Food Files, Sophia Surrett has the details on a successful Asian bakery’s expansion into Collierville, the latest restaurant to call Crosstown Concourse home, and how Lucchesi’s Fine Foods is expanding.

Plus, The Second Line is relocating from its Overton Square home to Laurelwood. The former Houston’s building is being purchased by a local developer, and the owner of Marshall Steakhouse is focused on a new restaurant scheduled to open in Oxford next year.

Lastly, Dima Amro introduced us to the new owners of the former Railgarten, who are bringing a family-friendly option to the space. 

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