What Is the True Story Behind 'Flamin' Hot?' It's Complicated
Flamin' Hot is based on the inspirational tale of how a Frito-Lay janitor named Richard Monta?ez invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Director Eva Longoria gushed of the film, currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+ in the U.S., "I never wanted to tell the history of the Flamin' Hot Cheeto. I've always been committed to telling Richard’s story. His story is complex and inspiring and motivating. The movie is about Richard Monta?ez."
Monta?ez has made a killing telling his story of coming up from a janitor to the marketing C-suite at PepsiCo, working the speaking circuit and authoring books about the experience.
The thing is, Monta?ez's story is reportedly just that: a story. The facts might actually bear a much different picture than the heartwarming movie depicts. Here's the Flamin' Hot true story.
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Was Flamin' Hot Based on a true story?
Flamin' Hot was based on Richard Monta?ez's story, but how true that story is remains up for some serious debate.
Monta?ez has claimed that he rose through the ranks from a janitor at Frito-Lay after personally calling PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico in 1991 with the idea and recipe for Flamin' Hot Cheetos and inventing the ever-popular snack. However, The Los Angeles Times reported in 2021 that Enrico didn't even work for Frito-Lay at the time that Flamin' Hot Cheetos were developed, starting six months after they'd already hit shelves. In a statement, Frito-Lay also noted, "According to our records, McCormick, Frito-Lay’s longtime seasoning supplier, developed the Flamin' Hot seasoning and sent initial samples to Frito-Lay on Dec. 15, 1989. This is essentially the same seasoning Frito-Lay uses today."
Flamin' Hot Cheetos were already being sold in test markets in summer 1990, at least six months before Monta?ez's alleged cold call. What's more, the newspaper's investigation found that the Flamin' Hot Cheetos brand name and "flavor idea" were first developed by a woman named Lynne Greenfeld (now Lemmel) to compete with similar chili-spiced snacks from other brands as early as 1989.
“It is disappointing that 20 years later, someone who played no role in this project would begin to claim our experience as his own and then personally profit from it,” Lemmel told The Los Angeles Times. Other sources in the Times piece corroborate that Monta?ez did not conceive the brand name or flavor himself, though he did come up with others, including Sobresitas. That hasn't stopped him from even making Flamin' Hot Cheetos the crux of his Instagram handle.
In a since-deleted Instagram video after The Los Angeles Times story came out, he reportedly told "young leaders" watching, “I don’t care what room you’re in, there’s always somebody in the room that’s going to try to steal your destiny. They may even say you never existed. I want you to do this: Write down your history, because if you don’t, somebody else will. Remember that. And also remember this, the best way to destroy a positive message is to destroy the messenger. Never allow that to happen to you. I’m certainly not going to allow it to happen to me."
Related: Oven-Fried Flamin' Hot Cheetos Chicken Wings Recipe
How accurate is the Flamin' Hot movie?
John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Truthfully? The film is accurate to Monta?ez's retelling, but probably not very accurate at all to how Flamin' Hot Cheetos specifically came to the market. However, Frito-Lay backtracked somewhat on their original statements that contradicted the Monta?ez mythos, telling USA Today in June 2023 that the movie Flamin' Hot is "Monta?ez's story, told from his point of view. His contributions to Frito-Lay are highlighted throughout the film, specifically his insights and ideas on how to better serve Hispanic consumers and engage the Hispanic community, a legacy PepsiCo continues today. We are grateful to him for that, and hope people enjoy the film."
Related: The Best Flamin' Hot Cheetos Mac and Cheese Recipe
Who is Flamin' Hot based on?
Flamin' Hot is about Richard Monta?ez's story of inventing Flamin' Hot Cheetos, even though Frito-Lay documentation indicates that they were already being sold in test markets when Monta?ez supposedly came up with the idea.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Monta?ez did come up with the idea of Flamin' Hot Popcorn, an extension of the Flamin' Hot brand.