Biting into the flamin' hot origin story of Flamin' Hot Cheetos

Richard Montañez really likes his superlatives: "I'm probably the most uneducated, brilliant person you will ever meet," he laughed.

There's one. Here's another: "I'm known as the Godfather of Hispanic branding!" Why Hispanic branding? Because Montañez claims to be the Willy Wonka behind one of the spiciest and best-selling snack foods on the market: Flamin' Hot Cheetos. It's no small thing, became Flamin' Hot Cheetos are an industry well beyond just the snack food aisle. They are featured in fashion shows, internet memes, even recipes for Thanksgiving turkeys, and they remain front-and-center in stores, along with their traditional Cheeto brethren.