September 11, 2025 • 64 mins
What happens when a professional chef decides to combine their culinary expertise with cannabis? Magic in the kitchen and a whole new approach to edibles.
Adam Vandermay, Executive Chef and co-founder of Your Canna Chef, takes us behind the scenes of his cannabis culinary journey, revealing how his relationship with the plant evolved from casual use to intentional consumption. "I went from just getting high to using the plant with intent," Adam shares, highlighting a maturity many cannabis enthusiasts develop over time.
The conversation dives deep into the art of cannabis cuisine, with Adam emphasizing precision over guesswork. His most valuable tip? Stop cooking with cannabis-infused oils as your base. Instead, use infusions as finishing elements—in sauces, glazes, and condiments—where you can control dosage with exactness. This approach eliminates the dreaded "mystery edible" problem where consumers don't know how potent their food will be.
Beyond cooking techniques, Adam shares the remarkable story of how his culinary skills literally saved his life after hitting rock bottom. Following a difficult divorce, he traveled to Nicaragua with just $600 and rebuilt his life through cooking, eventually establishing a thriving private chef business. Today, that resilience and creativity power Your Canna Chef, where Adam hosts cooking classes and private dining experiences that showcase cannabis as a sophisticated culinary ingredient rather than just a way to get high.
Ready to elevate your cannabis kitchen skills? Follow Adam on Instagram @yourcchef or visit Your Canna Chef to learn about his cooking classes and private dining experiences or find him at the Bite Me Cannabis Club.
Visit the website for full show notes, free dosing calculator, recipes and more.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hello, friends, and welcome to episode 316, and
today I sit down with AdamVandermeer of your Canna Chef.
What happens when you take alove of food, a passion for
culture and a deep knowledge ofcannabis and you toss them all
into one bowl, you get Bite Me,the show that helps you take
control of your high life andhelps cooks make great edibles
at home.
(00:24):
I am your host, margaret, acertified gongier, a certified
cannabis educator through TCI,and I believe your kitchen is
the best dispensary you'll everhave, and together we'll explore
the stories, the signs and thesheer joy of making safe,
effective and unforgettableedibles at home.
So preheat your oven, friends,and get ready for an episode
(00:53):
that you're going to love withAdam Vandermeer.
Now.
Adam has been a longtimelistener of Bite Me and I'm
thrilled that he's also anintegral part of the Bite Me
Cannabis Club, and today wecover all kinds of things in
this conversation, from how Adamgot started as a chef, what
brought him to culinary cannabis, how you can make better
edibles yourself and theevolution of your can of chef
(01:15):
over time.
So with that, my friends,please enjoy this conversation
with Adam Vandermeer of yourCanna Chef.
Everyone, I am thrilled to bejoined today by Adam Vandermeer
of your Canna Chef, and some ofyou may be familiar with Adam
through the Bite Me CannabisClub.
(01:35):
But, adam, I am really thankfulthat you're joining me today,
and why don't you introduceyourself to the listeners of
Bite Me and we'll go from there?
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Sure, well, first off , the pleasure is mine.
I mean, this has been kind ofin the works for a while now and
, yeah, I'm just excited to behere.
But yeah, so I am one of theco-founders and I've given
myself the shiny title ofexecutive chef at your account
(02:06):
of chef.
It's great when you own thecompany, you can call yourself
whatever you want, but we are acannabis cuisine, instructional
and private dining company, sowe do cooking classes, we do
infusion classes and I mean ourspecialty is private dining with
(02:29):
our guests.
So, yeah, we're just excited tobe here.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Excellent.
So we'll touch a little more onyour Cannes Chef and what
you're up to with that in alittle bit, but before we do,
maybe you can just tell us a bitabout your cannabis journey,
how it first began and how it'sevolved over time.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Much like cannabis itself.
It's evolved aggressively.
I mean, I started playingaround in high school just like
everybody else and, to be honest, I got away from cannabis for a
good part of my 20s and 30s.
It just wasn't something thatwas part of my life.
(03:09):
And then now it's back,obviously with a bit of a
vengeance, and I guess theevolution is that I went from
just get high um to using theplant with intent, that that, uh
, now you know, sincelegalization and studies and all
(03:33):
of that have have really kindof kind of grown that you know
you, you know what, what theplant can do and the different
things that it can do for you.
So yeah, I'd say the biggestevolution for me is intent, but
I intentionally use the plantnow.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, I really like that too, actually, and I think
that happens with a lot of folksif they've been using cannabis
for a while.
And it's kind of the same withdrinking, like when you're a kid
you drink to get drunk and then, as you get older, you drink
because you really like thissingle malt whiskey or this nice
wine from a region that youenjoy.
And it's very much the samewith cannabis as well, like you
(04:11):
just become a lot more aware ofthe things that go into what
you're consuming, and yeah, sothat intention, I think, is
really important and a sign of aif you're about to call me
mature, I'll stop you.
I wasn't, but I'm thinking aboutmyself too in some respects.
But I don't know.
(04:32):
I just feel like consumingcannabis with intention is just
something that comes along witha lot of the appreciation of the
plant as well.
Yes absolutely, and learningmore about that too, so I'm glad
you picked up on that andshared that with us.
Now, what first inspired you tocombine your culinary
background with cannabis.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
So I'm a bit of a unique individual.
When I go on holiday, a lot ofpeople will sit on the beach and
read a novel.
You know, whatever I readcookbooks, it's just I always
like to have something to, youknow, glean ideas from to
(05:14):
whatever.
And so my wife and I and Iguess it was before we were
married but we were in Cuba, andso we kind of do a thing where
I get her a book, she gets me abook, and my screen just went
away.
There we go, and she got me theofficial High Times cookbook.
(05:37):
Okay, and I had edibles before.
I'd made mystery stuff, and soreading through that I was, I'm
just sitting there on the beachgoing I can do this.
Like this is amazing.
Like once you put sort of thescience behind it, then it gets
(06:02):
really exciting.
And so I mean, as a chef, Ijust looked at it and went the
things we can do are incredible.
So, yeah, we came back and Ijust really dove into how to do
this.
And it's actually when I foundyou, because I was like I'm an
information junkie, so I justwanted everything that I could
(06:27):
on it and that's where I foundBite Me, and then I've obviously
made myself somewhat of anexpert in the field and, yeah, I
just made all kinds of mistakesalong the way, but sometimes
you need an afternoon on thecouch.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Well, sometimes it's also those mistakes that you
tend to remember more to right,like when you make a mistake.
That's where the lessons arelearned.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
The mistakes.
They've created the entirefoundation of kind of what we at
your Can of Chef believe in andwhere I mean we're more micro
dosing than anything.
And yeah, for me it was more ofan eye opening of you know, the
(07:14):
experience that we can dothrough Canada Dining and all of
that and just create thatreally unique experience for
guests.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Right.
So I am curious if you like toread cookbooks, is there a
cookbook that you thinkeverybody, every chef or every
home cook, should have on theirshelf?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Every home chef, every home cook should have at
least one Jamie Oliver cookbook.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
And I don't say that because I'm a fan boy, maybe a
little bit, but um it it, hisapproach to cooking is very
similar to mine, so I might bebiased.
Where it's it's flavor, first,it's, it's it's food to like.
Intention, again, intentionalcooking.
And um, I'm, I'm just a hugefan.
(08:07):
It's simple, no nonsensecooking.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
And uh, yeah, anything by jamie oliver okay,
that's good to know, becauseI've seen a lot of jamie oliver
recipes online.
I don't actually have any ofhis books, though, so I'll need
to look out for some, becauseI'm yeah, yeah, there.
He's published quite a few.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, he has some great like five ingredient books
.
Oh.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
I would like that.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
And for me it creates a really cool base, right?
So I can look at one of hisrecipes and dissect it and go
okay, so this is why that worksand that works Okay.
So what can I do to make itmine?
How can we play with that?
And I usually end up with waymore than five ingredients.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Right, yeah, but it's a good place to start because,
especially a lot of busy homecooks who are like trying to
feed families and all that stuffon a weeknight, when everyone's
like going in 10 differentdirections, you want those
simple recipes to sort of, youknow, sustain you, I guess,
because otherwise you just don'tdo the cooking.
If that's the case, if it's toocomplicated or time-consuming
(09:09):
but speaking of tootime-consuming, I guess this
isn't really related but what'sthe most common mistake you see,
when people are cooking withcannabis at home?
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Biggest mistake probably actually cooking with
cannabis okay um, for for me, uh, any infusion is, uh, is
designed to be a finishing.
So our sauces, our glazes,anything like that, where I can
control absolutely everyeverything, whether it's flavor
(09:44):
or percentages.
So actually cooking withinfused oils using that as your
base, huge mistake.
Huge mistake because you'reguessing.
You're just guessing.
And I mean you and I havetalked about and I've heard you
talk about on the podcast ahundred times that the mystery
(10:05):
edible.
It has no place in my life.
I'm not interested if somebodycooks me something and I mean I
get asked all the time what'syour favorite meal?
And my favorite meal is the onethat somebody else cooks for me
.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Right, especially as a chef, right, yeah.
So I love a meal that somebodyelse cooks for me, right?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Especially as a chef, right?
Yeah, so I love a meal thatsomebody else cooks for me, but
if somebody else cooks withcannabis and hands it to me and
I say, all right, so howaggressive am I?
Looking at the next few hoursof my life and they say I don't
know, I can't do it.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Yeah, and so, yeah, yeah, biggest mistake not
knowing your numbers and and,yeah, not being intentional with
your infusions yeah, that makesa lot of sense, I guess, even
when it comes to like baking,because you can have a pretty
good idea of what you're bakingwith, I guess yeah, and then
pre-portion it into differentyou know, like cookies or
(11:04):
brownie squares or whateverthat's right.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
That's right and and and and that I that has been.
That has probably been one ofthe most interesting parts of of
the journey that has been yourcan of chef.
Like we, we hold cookingclasses a couple times a week
and every time, every singletime, someone will say so like
when are we making gummies?
And I'm like that's not what wedo here.
(11:29):
That's that I might do a gummyclass because there's a lot of
requests for it.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
You got to give people what they want.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Exactly.
But yeah, it's funny that youknow still the majority, the big
perception out there is, youknow, is it's brownies and
cookies and gummies, and that'swhat we do.
So I'm on a mission to changethat.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Well, I'm glad because there is a place for all
the sweets and stuff, but youcan also buy those in a
dispensary too.
I mean, obviously it's way morecost effective to do it at home
and do it yourself and you knowexactly what's going in it.
But when you sort of expand toactual cooking with cannabis, it
really opens up a whole lot ofdoors.
And I do like what you'resaying, like infusing the sauces
(12:12):
and the condiments and allthose types of things, because
it does also mean that thatentire meal that you've made can
be shared with people who mayhave different tolerance levels,
because not everyone's goinggonna be the same I call it
twinning.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
so, yeah, I I anything that I can't, that that
I can serve infused.
I had better be able to twin itand be and and have it not
infused and and so like when,when we're doing, when we're
doing private dinings, like ifif I was doing any.
I'll make three differentversions of it.
(12:48):
I'll make one that has zero THC, I'll make one that has two and
a half milligrams, I'll makeone that has seven and a half
milligrams, and then I can goanywhere from there.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Right, right.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
So if somebody says you know my comfort zone's five,
not a problem, we can do that.
If somebody says you know mycomfort zone's five, not a
problem, we can do that, and sothat again it simply goes back
to the intention just beingreally, really knowledgeable
about what is in the food.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yeah, it's super important too when you're
serving it to other people.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Hospitality starts with trust.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Right.
And I need every single one ofour guests to trust us.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, becausethey are putting their faith in
your hands that they're goingto have an enjoyable experience.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
That's right, that's right and and I always say I, I
always refer back to the firstsoup that I ever made with
cannabis, and I didn't have aclue what I was doing.
But I read, you know, read HighTimes, read everything I could
about infusing and just went Icould do this and that potato
soup put me on the couch for anumber of hours.
(13:57):
It was, it was I had one bowland it had.
I went back the next day anddid the math and went okay, that
was about 90 milligrams.
That could be aggressive.
Oh, wow, for one serving Onebowl of soup.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Oh wow, okay.
Yeah, that would lay a lot ofpeople out.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Yeah, yeah, I apparently watched golf for a
long time, right, and I don'tremember a single thing about
the golf, right, yeah.
So those are stories I tell allthe time, and and now, and and
so, when, when we're talking toour guests, like we, we, just we
, I I literally go to everyguest and and discuss how
(14:34):
they're, where they'recomfortable, what, what edible
have you had that made you feelgood, where do you want to be?
And and then I'd also talkabout my limits, where, in a
meal, I won't serve more than 25milligrams over a five-course
meal, and that's only tosomebody who really wants it,
(14:56):
like that's the, the way Idescribe it.
You don't go to a fine diningrestaurant and do seven shots of
tequila before you eat or afterRight.
The goal isn't to get messed up,the goal is to have an
(15:16):
incredible experience, and sowe've had to slow a few
expectations down on somecustomers.
They're like we're walking outof here just wrecked, like no,
probably not, yeah, and I.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
I can appreciate that too, because for like I could
consume 25 milligrams, but thenI'm not going to be feeling very
social either at that point I'mgoing to be like where's the,
where's the remote?
I'm just gonna like veg on thecouch and like watch some comedy
.
I'm not going to be thinkingabout being social with other
guests that are at an event.
So, yeah, I think set andsetting also sort of comes up
(15:53):
with that as well, Because somepeople have really high
tolerances and that's what ittakes to get them there.
But I do like that the moreintentional you're not trying to
get people like wrecked.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
That's it, like my goal isn't to get people there,
my goal is to open their eyes tojust new experiences, new ideas
that wow.
And if they want to go home andmake my 80 milligram bowl of
soup, fill your boots, like I'llgive you the recipe, but you
know we try not to do that.
Yeah, yeah, no, fill your boots.
(16:24):
I'll give you the recipe, butwe try not to do that.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Yeah, yeah, no, that's fair.
Now do you have a go-to ediblerecipe that never fails to
impress?
Speaker 1 (16:34):
I love this question.
I absolutely love this question.
I bounce around all over theplace, around the place, but my
go-to is absolutely a pesto,because from that base we can do
anything.
So a good pesto where I knowdown to the tablespoon how many
(16:57):
milligrams is in it, then I canhave fun, then I can you know,
if we want to add tomatoes, ifwe want to add whatever, we can
grow from there.
But yeah, the pesto always putsa little bit of smile on
people's faces, whether we'reusing it in pasta or bruschetta
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Yeah, no pesto is a great answer.
I love infused pesto.
I just love pesto period andwe're recording this right now
in August, when there is like anincredible bounty of stuff at
like your local farmers marketsand whatnot.
You can freeze pesto too, right?
Speaker 1 (17:30):
you sure can yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
So for all of you folks listening out there, make
some pesto, yeah, and you can dothe old ice cube tray trick
where, and then you've just got.
You've got little cubes ofpesto ready to go yeah, I'm
planning on actually doing thatsoon, because I have a bunch of
basil on my deck.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
I need to do something with it and I've been
making a lot of pesto.
Do you have a ton of basilflowers, like the actual flowers
that grow up the stem?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
I've been kind of picking the flowers off.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Have you.
Yes, we used them a couple ofweeks back because we have a
bunch of basil in the garden aswell.
I am not a gardener, I right Iwish I were, but um, it's, it's
like I don't want to raise thecow, I want to cook the steak so
um, but, uh, but yeah, we had abunch of really nice, uh, basil
(18:17):
flowers and and we we used itin um um as as an edible garnish
and people were blown away withit.
They absolutely loved it.
So, yeah, don't throw it allover the place?
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Yeah, I should think about that.
Somebody told me not that longago that if you pick the flowers
off when they come up, thatit'll keep producing more basil.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Yes, yes, but then you can still use the flowers.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I should do that instead of tossing them over the
railing of the deck.
Yeah, I just do that, insteadof tossing them over the railing
of the deck.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Yeah, I just said that, Although the bunnies might
like that yeah that's true.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
That's true.
I'm feeding the local wildlife,so it's all good.
Yeah, Now can you tell me thestory behind your can of chef
and how it started and how it'sevolved?
Speaker 1 (19:02):
It's been a fun little ride.
Your can of Chef actuallystarted out as the roadside
gourmet, a buddy of mine.
In 2018, I think, he and Idecided we were going to take a
motorcycle trip.
We were going to load up ourbikes and we were going to drive
(19:23):
.
We called it the lap.
We were going to do amotorcycle trip.
Uh, we're going to load up ourbikes and we're going to drive
uh, we're we called it the lap.
We're going to do a lap of, uh,north and Central America.
We're going to go down to thePanama canal, um, sort of ride
down the East coast of theUnited States and then ride back
up the West coast into Canadaand ride completely across
Canada.
And so, um, and we're onincredibly limited budget, and
(19:46):
so we said, you know, let'slet's create a YouTube channel
that that is, uh, me cooking offthe kitchen that I carry on my
bike, and so, you know, it's acouple of little burners and and
and a couple of pans.
I did have cast iron, cause I'ma psycho Um, but uh, um and so,
and so it started there.
Then COVID killed that trip,but we kept the roadside gourmet
(20:08):
going, and to the point wherewe actually bought an ambulance
and built that out so that itcould be a teaching kitchen.
Oh wow yeah, did all kinds offun stuff with the roadside
gourmet and I think it stillexists somewhere in the YouTube
ether and so we started doing abunch of cooking videos.
(20:34):
And then I got introduced to theconcept of cooking with
cannabis, and so we kept theRoadside Gourmet brand for a
little while and then slowlytransitioned over to your
CannaChef.
And I mean, the original planof your CannaChef is not what it
is today.
The original plan we were goingto be.
(20:55):
The goal was to be the largestdatabase of cannabis-infused
recipes on the planet.
That was our goal, and westarted off and we were building
things, and then we asked forsubmissions.
We got a handful of those.
So basically, the the the pitchwas send me your grandmother's
tomato sauce recipe and I'llshow you how to infuse it and
(21:17):
keep it, keep the integrity ofthat sauce where it was right.
So that was the concept.
And then, um, and, and then itjust started evolving.
We started getting asked tocook for people and we started
hosting events, and then westarted, you know, doing private
dinings, and then people wereasking us to teach them, and all
of this while I was workinganother job uh, you know, doing
(21:39):
doing 50 hours a week.
Uh, at that, doing 50 hours aweek at that.
And then, honestly, the tippingpoint was you, I don't want to.
I mean, I do want to pump yourtires, but you know, it was Bite
Me, cannons Club, because westarted doing the cooking videos
(22:01):
for your platform and thepassion just kicked back in.
And for me, with cooking, it cancome and go unless I'm doing it
every day.
And so the passion came back inand three months ago about that
, I quit my job and said we'regoing to do this full time and
(22:27):
it's.
I mean, the learning curve ismassive.
We've had three or fourdifferent product ideas.
You know we had infused mealkits, which we're still working
on.
That is.
That's backburnered for aminute because of some laws that
we need to juggle, but so we'readvocating hard for a few
(22:48):
changes there.
But then people just kept askingto learn and asking to learn.
So, yeah, over the last month,month and a half, we've been
rocking a bunch of really coolcooking classes in person.
It's the only way I will do itbecause you really get it,
(23:09):
instead of me lecturing andsaying you know this is how you
cook this.
You can go online and figureout how to cook anything, but in
person we can really drive home.
You know the care andresponsibility of cooking with
(23:30):
this plant and and the differentways that we can do it, and
we've we've just hooked up withI think I can mention it.
Yeah, okay, you know what?
if I can't, I've my hands know,and then my hands, my hands been
slapped before, um, but but we,we, just we we've just hooked
up with uh, with a localcannabis company, um called uh
(23:53):
station house, and they're agrower and a um and and uh and a
dispensary, and and the generalmanager over there is a
fantastic guy.
He was actually just at one ofour, our workshops, and, uh,
they are doing a bunch ofcutting edge research on uh, on
(24:15):
culinary cannabis, and, and sowe're, we're, we're, hopefully,
working with them.
So, yeah, it literally startedwith, you know, know, a little
YouTube channel that, uh, thatwas me cooking off the back of a
motorcycle and and now it's,it's, it's this, this just super
, you know, turning a hobby intoa business.
(24:36):
It's everybody's dream.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Yeah, it is.
Honestly, that's amazing.
That's quite a quite anevolution, and I met you around
the time when you were bringingin submissions for these recipes
from folks, and I know we spokeon the phone several times and
you have been a longtimelistener of Bite Me, which I
think is amazing.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
I could actually say that I've listened to I'm going
to say 90%.
This is how I listen topodcasts I start at number one I
start at the first one, and Iknow that made you cringe when I
told you that.
I did that.
But any podcast I start atnumber one.
If number one can get me hooked, then I'm in.
(25:19):
And I used to drive for a living, so I had hours and hours and
hours and hours to listen tostuff.
So I felt like I knew youbefore.
We chatted just because of theplatform.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
But I love that because, also, like the
in-person events, I think peopleare really looking for that now
as well, and also the videosthat you post in the Bite Me
Canvas Club are incredible,mainly because it's not again
just like making a brownie orwhatever I can do that, but you
are infusing cannabis intoactual meals and it's just more
(25:56):
elevated culinary cannabis, Iguess.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
And we try to keep it pretty simple.
And we try to keep it prettysimple.
You're not going to see medoing crazy Michelin star stuff.
It's just why would I?
I'm not trying to teach a bunchof chefs how to be chefs.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Right, so yeah, it's very approachable.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Yeah and so our goal is to make things that people
can repeat.
Go home and make a pasta, apasta.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
it's fun yeah, because if you can't repeat it
in your home kitchen, thenyou're probably not going to
want to do it.
Because I have seen lots ofrecipes where you need, like you
know, real specialtyingredients and they have to go
out and find those and then justsome pretty advanced techniques
that I probably haven't playedaround with much, and then you
look at your final outcome andyou're like, well, that sucks.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
How much did I just spend to?
Speaker 2 (26:51):
decide that that sucked.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's like those Pinterestfail memes that I see a lot,
but yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
And we're all there Like, like, that's, that's the
thing, like when, when peoplestart cooking, and and
especially when people find outthat I'm a chef and and you know
, jeanette's fat friend, so, soJeanette and I just got married
last year, which was fantastic,and, but but when, when people
find out that she's married to achef, we don't get invited for
(27:20):
dinner, we don't get invited fordinner, like, and and really,
and, and you know, it's, it's,it's one of those things that,
because they're like, yeah, Idon't know, he's a chef, I don't
want, and, again, my favoritemeal is the one that somebody
else cooks for me.
But, right, yeah, uh, but youknow, if, if, if what we teach
can be can be done at home, thenthen I'm winning and I'm doing
(27:40):
it right yeah, I totally agreeand I'm glad to hear the
in-person classes are goingreally well.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
I'm not surprised, but I'm glad to hear that they
are.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
They're a blast.
They are so much fun.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Yeah, yeah Now.
So you've been doing thesecooking classes and you're
pretty involved in culinarycannabis.
Have you noticed any trends inwhat people are looking for when
it comes to cannabis-infusedfood?
Speaker 1 (28:05):
I think it comes to infused cannabis, infused food.
I think there's there's a coupleof things people are really
looking for access to infusionsright the infusions themselves
yeah, uh, because, let's behonest, I can sit here and say,
all right, so all you do is popin, you know, some can of butter
or some oil, or even someisolate and and, and, and, and
you can go.
But if you don't, if you don'tknow how to do that um, or if
(28:28):
it's not something that thatexcites you, um, honestly, the
infusion process is boring.
Thank you for the 30 minute one, though that has that I, I
started.
As soon as I listened to thatepisode, I started started doing
my own, my own, um, because Itrust you and all, but I wanted
to do my own research, and, andman, that's frigging awesome,
(28:51):
that is so awesome, and uh, andso.
So, yeah, people want access tooils and butters and, uh, and
sugars and whatever.
We're not there.
If somebody is interested,reach out.
(29:11):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Did I wink?
Speaker 1 (29:13):
I'm not sure if I winked but also comfort foods.
It's how do I infuse myspaghetti?
How do I infuse my spaghetti?
How do I infuse, you know, mymashed potatoes?
It is stuff that they'realready cooking, and so how do I
make that work?
(29:33):
That, really, and that excitesme because it suggests that
we're looking for candidates tobecome a pantry item for
cannabis to become a pantry itemand you know I treat everything
that I cook with respect,whether it's basil or cannabis.
(29:58):
But the idea that it could justbecome a regular staple in
people's pantries, that excitesme.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
That makes me really, really, really, really, really
happy yeah, and I think thatalso shows like a maturity
perhaps in the cannabis consumer, now that I mean, we're both in
canada so we've enjoyedlegalization for a little while.
But people are looking beyondthe brownie, to use that off
used phrase.
But yeah, people are interestedin things just past the brownie
(30:23):
or the gummy and yeah, you'reshowing people that it can be
done quite easily and it's sosimple.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
It really is.
Um again, once, once you haveaccess to to infusions, you can
trust, yeah, um, you know, I,when we started doing infusions,
I read everywhere on theinternet, um, because you know,
if it's on the Internet it'strue, and that you know, you
take an ounce of weed and youtoss that in butter and that's
(30:54):
how you make an infusion.
It's like an ounce, my God Likeyeah, that's what you're making
is crazy, and so you know, wedo.
I to a to a cup of fat, I dothree and a half grams.
Right, I yeah, I would, half aquarter is what I call it.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
But a half quarter.
Yeah, ontario, I know it's aneight.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
But yeah, that's, and I go with low THC weed Like I
don't you know.
Again, the goal isn't, isn't,isn't just be messed up all the
time.
It's, it's the, it's, it's thehave, have the experience and
have my body, have my body,actually benefit from from
eating the food.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Both from the cannabis and from the food.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
So yeah, I totally, I totally agree with you on that.
I think people are I don't wantto say microdosing per se,
because microdosing for oneperson might be mean nothing,
like somebody else might notfeel it at all but I just feel
like being more mindful aboutthose doses because, you're
right, like putting an ounceinto even a couple of cups of
butter can make a really stronginfusion.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
It's a lot of weed too, like I don't know how where
everybody else's budget is.
But uh, you know, and and I'm abit of a legacy guy obviously,
with um, with, with the businessthat's all through the ontario
cannabis store, but um, but thebut, but yeah, I mean personally
I'm, yeah, I'm a legacy guy,but an ounce of weed is, you're
(32:31):
not that that's, that's notcheap no, it's not.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I mean if you're growing it.
There's a lot of growers thatlisten to this show, so maybe
they have access to all thattrim, because you can use trim
in your infusions as well.
But yeah, it does add up a lot.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Use the three and a half grams and then smoke the
rest, right.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Yeah, exactly.
I mean.
Yeah, I do like to vaporize.
Use my dry herb vaporizer whileI'm waiting for the edibles to
kick in, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Now and that's an interesting one to kick in
Absolutely Now, and that's aninteresting one.
At some of our dinings we'vehad people like show up and say,
is it okay if we just go smokea joint?
And I'm like I'm never going tosay no, but ideally don't right
(33:24):
.
Ideally, let the progression ofthe different cannabinoids that
we're going to introducethroughout the meal be the
experience.
And you know, afterwards, sureI'll smoke a bowl with you, but
before maybe not, maybe not.
But I mean, that's just for ourexperience, it's not.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
You know, while you're waiting for it to kick in
, hit it, go nuts, yeah, I hearwhat you're saying, because
you're suggesting just let theexperience be the experience and
see what you notice about it,because I think it's really
interesting what you can noticeas well when you go into
something like that and you'resober.
Then go from there.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
And then we play with how the CBD can play with that,
with how the CBD can play withthat and managing the physical
experience is a big part of whatwe do is making sure that we're
counterbalancing and that it'sjust a glow.
The goal is to be a glow.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Right Now.
You've hosted a few of these bynow.
What has been the mostmemorable experience?
That you've had a few of theseby now?
What has been the mostmemorable experience?
Speaker 1 (34:25):
that you've had so far.
It happens every single time.
Every time it is when peoplehave that aha moment.
Where, uh, where, where theywhether it's a cooking class or
a dining, or or even just aconsultation where they have the
(34:51):
aha moment of, oh, this iscontrollable, oh, this, okay,
this guy's not just messing withus when he says I can give you
two and a half milligrams, orwhen he says where's your number
.
It is that, and especially withthe home cooks that we're
teaching, when they're able togo, oh, wow, like this really is
(35:14):
just butter with a kick or it'sand, and, and we can do so many
fun things with it, and I thenI show, and so we had, it's what
people just, and it happensevery time and it's what keeps
me excited, like I just, I lovewatching people.
I don't when, when I was doingnon-infused, um, we, we got
(35:37):
certainly a lot of fun feedbackand people loved our private
dinings and I was a private cheffor a long, long time, but, and
I loved it.
But you don't get the wow, likejust that, this, this is
infused dining, right, like and,and so that, yeah, absolutely
(36:02):
the most memorable experiencehappens every time, which is
great, keeps me excited that isgreat.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Yeah, because it sounds like you have some more
classes coming up, which we'lltalk about in a few minutes yeah
, for sure um, how do you seethe role of edibles evolving in
the wider cannabis culture andindustry, and maybe in Canada in
particular, just because wehave the advantage of federal
legalization?
Speaker 1 (36:25):
How do I see it or how do I want it?
Speaker 2 (36:28):
You can probably touch on both.
Those are probably twodifferent things.
Yeah, they are.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
I see it evolving slowly.
Working with Station House, I'mnot going to give away any
other trade stuff, but I don'teven know if I'm allowed to
mention it six to eight months,um, that really could
(36:55):
revolutionize, uh, the way weapproach uh, dining, uh, and and
and infused food, and, and I'mreally excited.
It's a question now they can dothis, they've got the pockets,
they have the, they, they havethe, the, the background and the
history and the knowledge, theknowledge and the reputation.
(37:17):
So I do think there's somereally cool things, but I think
it's going to be a slow process.
But I remember when you hadJordan Wagman on and you asked a
similar question and his answerwithout hesitation was that the
(37:40):
future is in culinary, and to adegree I do agree with him.
I would actually like to see theindustry, the overall cannabis
industry, embrace the concept ofculinary.
But I also understand whyrestaurants are a long way off,
(38:04):
pardon me, yeah, a really longway off, because without
stringent controls like really,really stringent controls it
could be a very, very dangerousspace where, uh and so so I'm an
advocate for the concept for,for culinary, um, cannabis, but
(38:33):
I, uh, I know there's going tobe a as a group, the discipline
to, uh, to just greenlightcannabis restaurants right now.
I think.
I think that, as a group, um,and and I just mean the entire
industry um, we, we, we need, weneed some guardrails put on
(38:56):
that because, uh, and, and,whether that is a product that's
, you know, supplied by, byothers, or or what have you that
, that then we as chefs cantweak, um, there's just too many
variables that that can gosideways in in in a restaurant
setting, and so, uh, I'd love tosee us get there.
(39:17):
So I agree with Jordan, I thinkthe future is culinary, but I
think it'll be a lot morehome-based than it will be
commercial for a long, long time.
I don't see cannabisrestaurants being greenlit
anytime soon.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
Yeah, I tend to agree with you on that.
The one space I would like tosee maybe a little more
flexibility is like usingcannabis beverages out, because
I just feel as though that issomething that I would prefer to
consume, because I just findalcohol is problematic in so
many ways.
Like I don't live in town, Ilive outside of town now, so I'm
(39:55):
always driving into town, whichmeans I have to drive, I have
to be so careful and sometimes Idon't want to drink.
Yeah, I'm getting older andthose hangovers and the way it
makes me feel is often not greatafter having like just one or
two and I'm like, uh what?
But I can't go and like justout to a bar with a friend and
(40:15):
be like can't go and like justout to a bar with a friend and
be like it's either drinking, orit's water or pop.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Yeah, yeah and I love other options and and I
completely agree with you onthat that that that if, if bars
could offer you know theexisting beverages, or, or, or
you know even mocktails basedoff of them, or or, however,
however, they need to do it, Ithink that's entirely reasonable
, right?
Like, if I go to a bar and haveyou know five pints, I probably
(40:42):
shouldn't be driving.
If I go to a bar and have 50milligrams in beverages, I
probably shouldn't be driving.
So it's all the same thing, andso, yeah, I mean offering those
to adults.
Is you know, the choices thatwe can realistically make?
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Yeah, and we make those choices all the time Like
that's the world we live in.
But we'll see.
I think that could be maybe notas slow, but just as slow as
getting to culinary cannabis.
But you know, I don't mind itbeing like more private, if you
will.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
I gotta admit If it was more accessible in some ways
I gotta admit, I'm 50 years old, I have zero interest in
opening another restaurant.
I have none like zero um, andI've had so many people come up
and go, oh, you know, yeah, thiswould be, this would be
fantastic.
And I was like, yeah, no, I'velived that life, I've done that.
(41:38):
It is, it's not easy, oh it's,don't get me wrong, I loved
every second of it.
But I'm also at a point in mylife where you know we've got
grandkids, we just want to relax, we just, we just, and you know
going.
So, yeah, they can, we canstick to private dining, because
(42:02):
I love it and I get thatpersonal interaction where every
experience is a chef's tableand and and.
So, yeah, I, I'm, I don't knowI'm biased, I'm, I'm okay with
it staying private.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
Yeah Well, like you said, it's going to take a long
time to get there anyway, withthe way the current legislation
is, but one day we will be there, and who knows when.
I never thought I'd seelegalization in my lifetime
either, and here we are.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
Now, if somebody wants a consult, right.
If somebody is looking for aconsultation on how to operate
that, I'd be happy to do that,Right.
Yeah day to day, I'm out yeah,yeah, no, that that's fair.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Um, so if somebody is listening, somebody listening
wants to get better at cookingwith cannabis.
Is there a single tip that youwould offer?
Like what's the?
Yeah, I guess, yeah, I guess,I'll leave that to you.
The one thing Cooking withcannabis.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Block a lot of time off because you are going to
mess up and you are going toexperience some cannabis highs
that you didn't even knowexisted.
So and embrace that, right.
If you walk into it scared,that's going to be, that's going
to be a terrible, terrible high, um, but but just know that
(43:23):
that bowl of soup, uh, mighthave you staring at golf and not
knowing what players names are,uh, so, so, yeah, I mean, go in
with intention.
Um, the more that you can, themore that you can learn, the
more that other people can teachyou.
Um, you know, follow thatadvice.
If you know, shameless plug,reach out to your Canada chef.
(43:44):
We'd be happy to, to, to teachyou how to do things.
Um, but yeah, um, best advice,do it intentionally, don't.
Don't guess.
Guessing is, guessing is foramateurs.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Yeah, and there's actually really no reason to
guess anymore, becauseeverybody's talking about dosing
and all this kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
Go to Margaret's website.
She's got a fantasticcalculator and we took ours down
when we did the redesign of thewebsite and I need to figure
out a way to get it back in.
I need to reach out to my ITguy and get that done, because I
can't do it.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
Yeah, I know, that's admittedly not something I did
on my own, fair enough.
Yeah, that back-end coding andstuff is not my forte.
Yeah, yeah.
So block off lots of time.
I do like that because if youare starting a new project in
the kitchen as well, you needtime to decarb, you need time to
infuse.
Even if it is shorter thanconventionally thought, you need
(44:45):
all the time to do all thosethings.
So you're better off never notrushing the process.
Speaker 1 (44:51):
And it's like any amazing dish, it's an evolution,
Right, any amazing dish, it'san evolution.
When I'm creating a dish,especially for our fine dining
clients, I work through it adozen times before I'm happy
with it.
I think I told you this story.
(45:15):
We made a gluten-free puffpastry because one of our guests
had celiac but really wantedthis puff pastry dish we were
doing and I spent.
I remade that probably 20 timesbecause I just wasn't.
And if you've ever made puffwhich I don't know why anybody
(45:37):
would Like I don't make puffpastry oh, okay, you can buy
puff pastry.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:45):
But for this one.
You can't buy gluten-free puffpastry, so I battled with that
and battled with it, and I'vebeen a chef for 30 friggin'
years.
So if you're making mistakes inthe kitchen, it's okay, right,
just take a breath, take yourtime, do it again.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Yeah yeah.
There's a couple of recipesthat have bested me more than
once, so I can I can attest tothat I am proud to say that I
got the friggin puff pastryright.
Yeah, because I'm free baking.
That's a whole different thing.
What do you?
Speaker 1 (46:19):
do with xantham and I mean it takes.
Yeah, I mean making puff pastry, because you have to chill it,
the everything has to be supercold, the butter has to be
incredibly cold.
I wasn't even infusing the puffpastry, this was just making
puff pastry right uh, the thenumber of times that dough balls
went flying across my kitchenwith moments of chef rage
they're uncountable.
Speaker 2 (46:41):
I will probably stick to buying my puff pastry
because I don't need it to begluten I recommend it, I
absolutely recommend that yeah,now, speaking of buying tools,
is there a kitchen tool orgadget that you can't live
without?
And this can be just like anykitchen gadget.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
I'm not necessarily specific to cannabis cooking,
but I love that question, um, I,I I'm not a gadget guy, um, but
there's, there's a couple ofthings in my kitchen that I
couldn't live without, Um, firstone's my, my chef knife.
Um, I have had there's there'sno longer a branding on my chef
(47:17):
knife.
It has been, it's a hankle myfavorite, and every everybody
has their favorite.
That doesn't make me right, um,but I've had this thing for 30
years, um, it's traveled theworld with me and I, and it has
been a steady, steady friend inmy life.
And so, yeah, my chef knife,absolutely.
(47:38):
And cast iron.
I have an unhealthy obsessionwith cast iron and some may say
an unhealthy collection of it,but I love cooking in cast,
absolutely love cooking in cast.
And so if there were two thingslike if I was being I love
cooking in cast, absolutely lovecooking in cast, and so so if,
(47:58):
if there were two things like ifI, if I was being stranded on a
desert island, give me my chefknife and a good cast iron pan
and I'll figure it out.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
I love those answers because when you don't really
understand how good a knife isuntil you use some really shitty
ones and uh, most dangerous,most dangerous thing in the
kitchen is a dull knife yes, andpeople are like, why is that?
But it slides instead ofslicing and then you're sliding
into your flesh and then youhave blood everywhere and it's
not a fun experience.
(48:27):
So I you know you don't andwe've all done it yes, oh,
absolutely I.
I have not a while.
I actually have decent knivesright now.
But nice, funny, my, my dad hasa set of knives because I moved
in with my dad like a while.
I actually have decent knivesright now.
But nice, funny, my, my dad hasa set of knives because I moved
in with my dad like a while ago.
And they are.
They like the blade is almostworn off yeah and I remember
(48:48):
when I moved in, I brought myknives.
He's like oh, these are prettygood.
Speaker 1 (48:50):
I'm like yeah, that's because they're 50 years old it
cuts tomato flesh, it doesn'tjust crush the fruit cool yes,
and I don't know why he stilluses those knives, but he just
keeps everything.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
So there's that, but, and cast iron.
I love that too, and for thoselistening, uh, if you, because
it can get pretty priceysometimes too, I think, but it's
definitely something to lookfor in like thrift stores or
garage sales.
Speaker 1 (49:15):
I was going to say you're talking to an incredibly
cheap Dutch chef.
So I have again an ungodlycollection of cast iron, and I
would say 90% of it was boughtfrom estates in crap condition.
And then I get to spend thetime and and again.
(49:39):
This is just my silly littlepersonality.
There's nothing like spendingan afternoon bringing cast iron
back to life and because I I'venever, I've never met a cast pan
that I can't fix.
So, um, and, and you know, whenpeople are using my cast um,
they're like, oh, I don't know,I don't want to wreck your cast,
(49:59):
it's like you can't.
Speaker 2 (50:01):
Yeah, I know, because you're right Like it can look
pretty awful and then you canseason it and fix it back up.
Yeah, it's like you can wreckmy seasoning.
Speaker 1 (50:10):
You can leave it outside all winter and be rusted
as hell and come springtime,give me, give me, you know, a
few hours with it and a fewhours that I'd love doing um,
and and we'll get her fixed.
So, yeah, it shouldn't beintimidating yeah, perfect.
Speaker 2 (50:26):
Now, this one's a bit of a shameless shameless plug
in a way.
But what excites you aboutbeing part of the bite me
cannabis community, the cannabisclub?
Speaker 1 (50:35):
the, the cannabis club has been awesome and, um,
selfishly, uh, you guys are mytest kitchen right, a hundred
percent you're, you're my testkitchen with live feedback.
So, uh, I, I selfishly, I loveit because, uh, because we can
go and try, you know, a puffpastry rat brie with a maple
(51:02):
pecan glaze and break it down toa simple process and people
love it.
And so you know, we can dostuff, but stuff that I wouldn't
necessarily just do for shitsand giggles at home.
So, selfishly, my personal testkitchen it's fantastic, but
(51:26):
more than that, it's the people.
I'm comfortable saying that I'man expert at what I do, that
I'm an expert at what I do.
I am not an expert withcannabis, all facets considered.
Right yeah, right, I am not.
I'm still learning.
(51:48):
We're always learning, andanybody who says that they've
got it all figured out, theyneed to wake up and realize that
there's more to figure out.
And so the community itself isjust this robust group of people
that that that arenon-judgmental, um, that that
will, that that have differentskill sets and different ideas
(52:12):
towards the plant and and tojust sit and chat about it is
fantastic and, um, I will get onthe high table soon.
Yeah, that has been, it hasbeen on.
Tuesdays are bad for me, butright, uh, that is, that is
something that that, uh, that II have full intention of, of
jumping on and and just sittingback like I, yeah, like, like
(52:33):
you guys know way more than I do, so um, I would agree with that
, just because, collectively,there's a ton of knowledge in
that space and I couldn't havesaid it better myself.
Speaker 2 (52:43):
So thank you for that .
You're a valuable member of ourcommunity and I really do like
the the vibe that's happeningover there.
It's a, like you said, it's apretty welcoming space.
Speaker 1 (52:52):
So for anybody listening.
Just just go, go check it out.
Go check it out.
It's awesome.
Speaker 2 (52:59):
Now you are also, when you're not busy running
cooking classes and and thatkind of thing, you're building a
tiny house and I think that'slike the coolest thing ever.
So I would love to hear whatinspired you to take on that
project.
Speaker 1 (53:17):
Her name is Jeanette and last September 14th we
married.
But it's been a dream and thegoal is to retire, sort of Like
(53:38):
I'll never retire, but to slowlife down.
And so a big part of that wasbuilding the tiny house.
And so we're fortunate to havesort of a family legacy piece of
property up on Lake Simcoe and,uh, and there was a space, and
(54:01):
so a couple of years agoJeanette and I bought this kit
and last year we laid thefoundation for it and this year
we built it, and there's goingto be a lot of finishing work
that has to happen, but the planis that, uh, next, next summer
we'll be, we'll be moving upthere and living a really
(54:26):
stripped-down life.
And that has me really excited,because living in Nicaragua for
as long as I did really gave meappreciation of how little it
takes to be happy and uh, and,and that quality over quantity,
etc.
Etc.
Etc.
Speaker 2 (54:43):
So so, yeah, so the tiny house has been, it's been,
a fun project, it's, and I can'twait to see photos of it when
it's completely done, like whenall the things are are done and
and that kind of that kind ofstuff.
And I do like that you sort ofmentioned this paring down,
because I feel like we live in aplace where the things you own
end up owning you and so themore stuff you have, the more
(55:07):
stress there is around thatownership, because you have to
look after these things and andthat's and that's that's a life
lesson, I think it just takesexperience.
Speaker 1 (55:17):
And when I first went down to Central America, it was
let's kick the tires on this,see if it'll work.
And the plan was to be gone forsix months, three and a half
years later, and forgotten toleave years later and forgotten
(55:41):
to leave, um, and, and you knowit's, but living like.
I mean, I took down, I tookdown a couple of bags in my, at
my chef role.
That was it, and uh, and anddecided to to make a life
cooking the freshest food I'veever seen.
And uh, it was.
It was fantastic, but hadnothing, had had practically
nothing, sold everything that Iowned back in Canada and I came
(56:02):
back to decide to rebuild allthat.
So you know, yeah, they changed.
Speaker 2 (56:07):
Put in a bit of a pared down way.
Speaker 1 (56:09):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (56:09):
Yeah, it's still holding true to your values.
Now, do you envision your tinyhouse connecting in some way to
your culinary cannabis work?
Speaker 1 (56:18):
Let's just say that the square footage of my outdoor
kitchen is going to be largerthan the footprint of the house.
So the house, in order to staylegal and I won't get into all
of the things that we had to gothrough but the whole house is
240 square feet.
(56:39):
It's a full two stories.
So 140 square feet upstairs and100 square feet downstairs.
The kitchen that we'll bebuilding off the back of it.
It'll be similar to the kitchenthat I have here at the house,
and anybody who wants to seethat.
You have to join Bite MeCannabis Club, hold you hostage,
(57:03):
but no, it's.
And so, yeah, the kitchen'sgoing to be a big, big part of
that.
Now, we don't plan on livingthere in the winter, so the plan
(57:26):
is to have some affiliatepartners working within your
CannaChef to keep the momentumgoing in that, and then we'll be
doing some virtual things.
Speaker 2 (57:35):
But, yeah, the goal is to be in warm places during
the cold months here and thencome back for the fun months.
That sounds like the perfectplan to escape when it's not,
when it's cold and dark andmiserable here in Canada, and
come back for like spring fall.
Speaker 1 (57:45):
Yeah, have you ever?
Have you ever looked at?
Have you ever looked outside inthe dead of winter, like
February 13th, where it's justmiserable and blowing and gone?
Why do I?
Why do I do this?
Speaker 2 (57:56):
Every winter for the last 40 years.
Yeah, I have.
It's not even the cold.
Sometimes it's dealing with thesnow, like you know, when you
have to shovel it or just moveit in order to leave your house,
and uh, it's just yeah, oryou're depressed because it's
dark.
Speaker 1 (58:14):
Yeah well, yeah, yeah Well, yeah Well, and I'm hoping
not to miss that, so, so,that's that's the goal.
That's the goal.
And uh, you know what?
Uh, dreams, dreams only happenwhen you work towards them.
So we've been, we've beenworking hard on this one.
Speaker 2 (58:27):
Yeah, that sounds like a pretty awesome plan.
People about you.
Speaker 1 (58:32):
Adam, my ability to cook has, both literally and
figuratively, saved my life.
That having that skill, havingthat trade, has given uh to dig
(58:56):
myself into and out of holes.
But, um, when, in 20, 2015,.
Um, my, my life, my life took,took a turn I had not planned on
and uh went through a nastydivorce and uh eventually just
said I don't, I don't, I don'tneed money anymore.
(59:16):
So I just signed whatever thelawyers needed me to sign to be
done with things.
And then I went down toNicaragua, which is where I had
been before.
I had a social network, but Ihad 600 bucks.
That was it.
I had 600 bucks and a planeticket.
And I went down to CentralAmerica and decided to redefine
(59:41):
myself, and so I started bycooking dinners for expats, and
I don't mean private dining, Imean I went home, I lived in a
little shed in this Nicaraguanbarrio and it was fantastic.
(01:00:02):
My rent was $150 a month and ithad this little kitchen off the
side and I called myself thetwo-burner gourmet, because all
I had was two burners and Iwould make stroganoff.
I would make stroganoff, I'dmake whatever, and I would go
and I would pre-portion them andI would take them into the
(01:00:23):
central park of the town that Ilived in and I'd sell them to
expats and that's how I mademoney.
And I went from doing thatliterally just existing, just
surviving to a few months laterhaving the private chef business
take off, where now I'mstrapping.
(01:00:46):
Now I had money to buy amotorcycle and now I was able to
put a backpack full of thefreshest food I've ever seen in
my life and drive up into thejungle and do private caterings
for tourists and and.
Then I created just this, thissubsistence for that.
That that kept me, kept megoing for three and a half years
(01:01:08):
, and and and and so, yeah, thatI think it would surprise
people that my ability to cookliterally saved my life.
It's one of the things that I'mmost proud of, that I hit the
hardest rock bottom and my loveof food and the appreciation of
(01:01:33):
other people of my food, yeah,recreated me.
It was fantastic.
Speaker 2 (01:01:40):
I love that and I think that's a really good place
to end this conversation.
Except I would ask where canpeople find you out in the world
?
Speaker 1 (01:01:50):
Directly adamatyourcannachefcom.
Go to our website,yourcannachefcomca.
Um our socials, um I thinkthere's links, but uh, we are
yeah, yeah, this is, this is,this is where, where, where my,
uh, my, my online acumen isgoing to uh show itself.
(01:02:12):
Uh, I believe we are yc chef onFacebook.
Speaker 2 (01:02:16):
Yes, you are Actually , I know that.
Speaker 1 (01:02:18):
Okay, and on Instagram, which I just received
the login information for ourInstagram last week because we
had somebody else running it andso I now have that which we are
your C Chef.
Yes, On.
Instagram your sea chef.
(01:02:39):
Yes, on instagram, um, and andother than that, like we we want
, we want to do, um, a bunch ofexclusive dinings, um,
especially for the fall.
I have some some great ideasfor for uh, menus and stuff and
I can travel.
So if anybody in Ontario, Iwill stay within Ontario.
(01:03:02):
If anybody in Ontario wants toreach out and just have a chat
about how we can do some funfood, either do it through our
website or get on Bite MeCannabis Club.
Have I flogged this enough?
Get on Bite Me Cannabis Club.
And everybody.
Speaker 2 (01:03:17):
I flogged this enough .
Get on, bite Me.
Speaker 1 (01:03:18):
Cannabis Club and everybody can reach out and chat
with us there too.
Speaker 2 (01:03:22):
That's awesome and I'll be sure to put all those
links in the show notes sopeople can find them easily and
find you, adam, and I just wantto say thank you so much for
your time today.
Speaker 1 (01:03:30):
It's been a real pleasure.
Yeah, the pleasure's all mine,I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (01:03:34):
Friends, I hope you enjoyed that conversation as
much as I did.
I will link to where to findAdam and to dinners that he's
hosting in the show notes.
And if you were listening tothis and you thought, hey, you
know what, I know somebody whowould really enjoy this
conversation as well, whip outyour phone right now and share
with them, because sharing iscaring and it helps spreads the
word of this show, of this show.
With that, my friends, I'm yourhost, margaret, and until next
(01:03:58):
time, stay high.
I even made notes, perfect.
Speaker 1 (01:04:03):
Which is not You're well prepared.
That is not me.
I made notes.
Speaker 2 (01:04:07):
Yeah, so-.
Hello, friends, and welcome to episode 316, and
today I sit down with AdamVandermeer of your Canna Chef.
What happens when you take alove of food, a passion for
culture and a deep knowledge ofcannabis and you toss them all
into one bowl, you get Bite Me,the show that helps you take
control of your high life andhelps cooks make great edibles
at home.
(00:24):
I am your host, margaret, acertified gongier, a certified
cannabis educator through TCI,and I believe your kitchen is
the best dispensary you'll everhave, and together we'll explore
the stories, the signs and thesheer joy of making safe,
effective and unforgettableedibles at home.
So preheat your oven, friends,and get ready for an episode
(00:53):
that you're going to love withAdam Vandermeer.
Now.
Adam has been a longtimelistener of Bite Me and I'm
thrilled that he's also anintegral part of the Bite Me
Cannabis Club, and today wecover all kinds of things in
this conversation, from how Adamgot started as a chef, what
brought him to culinary cannabis, how you can make better
edibles yourself and theevolution of your can of chef
(01:15):
over time.
So with that, my friends,please enjoy this conversation
with Adam Vandermeer of yourCanna Chef.
Everyone, I am thrilled to bejoined today by Adam Vandermeer
of your Canna Chef, and some ofyou may be familiar with Adam
through the Bite Me CannabisClub.
(01:35):
But, adam, I am really thankfulthat you're joining me today,
and why don't you introduceyourself to the listeners of
Bite Me and we'll go from there?
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Sure, well, first off , the pleasure is mine.
I mean, this has been kind ofin the works for a while now and
, yeah, I'm just excited to behere.
But yeah, so I am one of theco-founders and I've given
myself the shiny title ofexecutive chef at your account
(02:06):
of chef.
It's great when you own thecompany, you can call yourself
whatever you want, but we are acannabis cuisine, instructional
and private dining company, sowe do cooking classes, we do
infusion classes and I mean ourspecialty is private dining with
(02:29):
our guests.
So, yeah, we're just excited tobe here.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Excellent.
So we'll touch a little more onyour Cannes Chef and what
you're up to with that in alittle bit, but before we do,
maybe you can just tell us a bitabout your cannabis journey,
how it first began and how it'sevolved over time.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Much like cannabis itself.
It's evolved aggressively.
I mean, I started playingaround in high school just like
everybody else and, to be honest, I got away from cannabis for a
good part of my 20s and 30s.
It just wasn't something thatwas part of my life.
(03:09):
And then now it's back,obviously with a bit of a
vengeance, and I guess theevolution is that I went from
just get high um to using theplant with intent, that that, uh
, now you know, sincelegalization and studies and all
(03:33):
of that have have really kindof kind of grown that you know
you, you know what, what theplant can do and the different
things that it can do for you.
So yeah, I'd say the biggestevolution for me is intent, but
I intentionally use the plantnow.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, I really like that too, actually, and I think
that happens with a lot of folksif they've been using cannabis
for a while.
And it's kind of the same withdrinking, like when you're a kid
you drink to get drunk and then, as you get older, you drink
because you really like thissingle malt whiskey or this nice
wine from a region that youenjoy.
And it's very much the samewith cannabis as well, like you
(04:11):
just become a lot more aware ofthe things that go into what
you're consuming, and yeah, sothat intention, I think, is
really important and a sign of aif you're about to call me
mature, I'll stop you.
I wasn't, but I'm thinking aboutmyself too in some respects.
But I don't know.
(04:32):
I just feel like consumingcannabis with intention is just
something that comes along witha lot of the appreciation of the
plant as well.
Yes absolutely, and learningmore about that too, so I'm glad
you picked up on that andshared that with us.
Now, what first inspired you tocombine your culinary
background with cannabis.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
So I'm a bit of a unique individual.
When I go on holiday, a lot ofpeople will sit on the beach and
read a novel.
You know, whatever I readcookbooks, it's just I always
like to have something to, youknow, glean ideas from to
(05:14):
whatever.
And so my wife and I and Iguess it was before we were
married but we were in Cuba, andso we kind of do a thing where
I get her a book, she gets me abook, and my screen just went
away.
There we go, and she got me theofficial High Times cookbook.
(05:37):
Okay, and I had edibles before.
I'd made mystery stuff, and soreading through that I was, I'm
just sitting there on the beachgoing I can do this.
Like this is amazing.
Like once you put sort of thescience behind it, then it gets
(06:02):
really exciting.
And so I mean, as a chef, Ijust looked at it and went the
things we can do are incredible.
So, yeah, we came back and Ijust really dove into how to do
this.
And it's actually when I foundyou, because I was like I'm an
information junkie, so I justwanted everything that I could
(06:27):
on it and that's where I foundBite Me, and then I've obviously
made myself somewhat of anexpert in the field and, yeah, I
just made all kinds of mistakesalong the way, but sometimes
you need an afternoon on thecouch.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Well, sometimes it's also those mistakes that you
tend to remember more to right,like when you make a mistake.
That's where the lessons arelearned.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
The mistakes.
They've created the entirefoundation of kind of what we at
your Can of Chef believe in andwhere I mean we're more micro
dosing than anything.
And yeah, for me it was more ofan eye opening of you know, the
(07:14):
experience that we can dothrough Canada Dining and all of
that and just create thatreally unique experience for
guests.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Right.
So I am curious if you like toread cookbooks, is there a
cookbook that you thinkeverybody, every chef or every
home cook, should have on theirshelf?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Every home chef, every home cook should have at
least one Jamie Oliver cookbook.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
And I don't say that because I'm a fan boy, maybe a
little bit, but um it it, hisapproach to cooking is very
similar to mine, so I might bebiased.
Where it's it's flavor, first,it's, it's it's food to like.
Intention, again, intentionalcooking.
And um, I'm, I'm just a hugefan.
(08:07):
It's simple, no nonsensecooking.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
And uh, yeah, anything by jamie oliver okay,
that's good to know, becauseI've seen a lot of jamie oliver
recipes online.
I don't actually have any ofhis books, though, so I'll need
to look out for some, becauseI'm yeah, yeah, there.
He's published quite a few.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, he has some great like five ingredient books
.
Oh.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
I would like that.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
And for me it creates a really cool base, right?
So I can look at one of hisrecipes and dissect it and go
okay, so this is why that worksand that works Okay.
So what can I do to make itmine?
How can we play with that?
And I usually end up with waymore than five ingredients.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Right, yeah, but it's a good place to start because,
especially a lot of busy homecooks who are like trying to
feed families and all that stuffon a weeknight, when everyone's
like going in 10 differentdirections, you want those
simple recipes to sort of, youknow, sustain you, I guess,
because otherwise you just don'tdo the cooking.
If that's the case, if it's toocomplicated or time-consuming
(09:09):
but speaking of tootime-consuming, I guess this
isn't really related but what'sthe most common mistake you see,
when people are cooking withcannabis at home?
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Biggest mistake probably actually cooking with
cannabis okay um, for for me, uh, any infusion is, uh, is
designed to be a finishing.
So our sauces, our glazes,anything like that, where I can
control absolutely everyeverything, whether it's flavor
(09:44):
or percentages.
So actually cooking withinfused oils using that as your
base, huge mistake.
Huge mistake because you'reguessing.
You're just guessing.
And I mean you and I havetalked about and I've heard you
talk about on the podcast ahundred times that the mystery
(10:05):
edible.
It has no place in my life.
I'm not interested if somebodycooks me something and I mean I
get asked all the time what'syour favorite meal?
And my favorite meal is the onethat somebody else cooks for me
.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Right, especially as a chef, right, yeah.
So I love a meal that somebodyelse cooks for me, right?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Especially as a chef, right?
Yeah, so I love a meal thatsomebody else cooks for me, but
if somebody else cooks withcannabis and hands it to me and
I say, all right, so howaggressive am I?
Looking at the next few hoursof my life and they say I don't
know, I can't do it.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Yeah, and so, yeah, yeah, biggest mistake not
knowing your numbers and and,yeah, not being intentional with
your infusions yeah, that makesa lot of sense, I guess, even
when it comes to like baking,because you can have a pretty
good idea of what you're bakingwith, I guess yeah, and then
pre-portion it into differentyou know, like cookies or
(11:04):
brownie squares or whateverthat's right.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
That's right and and and and that I that has been.
That has probably been one ofthe most interesting parts of of
the journey that has been yourcan of chef.
Like we, we hold cookingclasses a couple times a week
and every time, every singletime, someone will say so like
when are we making gummies?
And I'm like that's not what wedo here.
(11:29):
That's that I might do a gummyclass because there's a lot of
requests for it.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
You got to give people what they want.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Exactly.
But yeah, it's funny that youknow still the majority, the big
perception out there is, youknow, is it's brownies and
cookies and gummies, and that'swhat we do.
So I'm on a mission to changethat.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Well, I'm glad because there is a place for all
the sweets and stuff, but youcan also buy those in a
dispensary too.
I mean, obviously it's way morecost effective to do it at home
and do it yourself and you knowexactly what's going in it.
But when you sort of expand toactual cooking with cannabis, it
really opens up a whole lot ofdoors.
And I do like what you'resaying, like infusing the sauces
(12:12):
and the condiments and allthose types of things, because
it does also mean that thatentire meal that you've made can
be shared with people who mayhave different tolerance levels,
because not everyone's goinggonna be the same I call it
twinning.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
so, yeah, I I anything that I can't, that that
I can serve infused.
I had better be able to twin itand be and and have it not
infused and and so like when,when we're doing, when we're
doing private dinings, like ifif I was doing any.
I'll make three differentversions of it.
(12:48):
I'll make one that has zero THC, I'll make one that has two and
a half milligrams, I'll makeone that has seven and a half
milligrams, and then I can goanywhere from there.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Right, right.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
So if somebody says you know my comfort zone's five,
not a problem, we can do that.
If somebody says you know mycomfort zone's five, not a
problem, we can do that, and sothat again it simply goes back
to the intention just beingreally, really knowledgeable
about what is in the food.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yeah, it's super important too when you're
serving it to other people.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Hospitality starts with trust.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Right.
And I need every single one ofour guests to trust us.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, becausethey are putting their faith in
your hands that they're goingto have an enjoyable experience.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
That's right, that's right and and I always say I, I
always refer back to the firstsoup that I ever made with
cannabis, and I didn't have aclue what I was doing.
But I read, you know, read HighTimes, read everything I could
about infusing and just went Icould do this and that potato
soup put me on the couch for anumber of hours.
(13:57):
It was, it was I had one bowland it had.
I went back the next day anddid the math and went okay, that
was about 90 milligrams.
That could be aggressive.
Oh, wow, for one serving Onebowl of soup.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Oh wow, okay.
Yeah, that would lay a lot ofpeople out.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Yeah, yeah, I apparently watched golf for a
long time, right, and I don'tremember a single thing about
the golf, right, yeah.
So those are stories I tell allthe time, and and now, and and
so, when, when we're talking toour guests, like we, we, just we
, I I literally go to everyguest and and discuss how
(14:34):
they're, where they'recomfortable, what, what edible
have you had that made you feelgood, where do you want to be?
And and then I'd also talkabout my limits, where, in a
meal, I won't serve more than 25milligrams over a five-course
meal, and that's only tosomebody who really wants it,
(14:56):
like that's the, the way Idescribe it.
You don't go to a fine diningrestaurant and do seven shots of
tequila before you eat or afterRight.
The goal isn't to get messed up,the goal is to have an
(15:16):
incredible experience, and sowe've had to slow a few
expectations down on somecustomers.
They're like we're walking outof here just wrecked, like no,
probably not, yeah, and I.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
I can appreciate that too, because for like I could
consume 25 milligrams, but thenI'm not going to be feeling very
social either at that point I'mgoing to be like where's the,
where's the remote?
I'm just gonna like veg on thecouch and like watch some comedy
.
I'm not going to be thinkingabout being social with other
guests that are at an event.
So, yeah, I think set andsetting also sort of comes up
(15:53):
with that as well, Because somepeople have really high
tolerances and that's what ittakes to get them there.
But I do like that the moreintentional you're not trying to
get people like wrecked.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
That's it, like my goal isn't to get people there,
my goal is to open their eyes tojust new experiences, new ideas
that wow.
And if they want to go home andmake my 80 milligram bowl of
soup, fill your boots, like I'llgive you the recipe, but you
know we try not to do that.
Yeah, yeah, no, fill your boots.
(16:24):
I'll give you the recipe, butwe try not to do that.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Yeah, yeah, no, that's fair.
Now do you have a go-to ediblerecipe that never fails to
impress?
Speaker 1 (16:34):
I love this question.
I absolutely love this question.
I bounce around all over theplace, around the place, but my
go-to is absolutely a pesto,because from that base we can do
anything.
So a good pesto where I knowdown to the tablespoon how many
(16:57):
milligrams is in it, then I canhave fun, then I can you know,
if we want to add tomatoes, ifwe want to add whatever, we can
grow from there.
But yeah, the pesto always putsa little bit of smile on
people's faces, whether we'reusing it in pasta or bruschetta
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Yeah, no pesto is a great answer.
I love infused pesto.
I just love pesto period andwe're recording this right now
in August, when there is like anincredible bounty of stuff at
like your local farmers marketsand whatnot.
You can freeze pesto too, right?
Speaker 1 (17:30):
you sure can yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
So for all of you folks listening out there, make
some pesto, yeah, and you can dothe old ice cube tray trick
where, and then you've just got.
You've got little cubes ofpesto ready to go yeah, I'm
planning on actually doing thatsoon, because I have a bunch of
basil on my deck.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
I need to do something with it and I've been
making a lot of pesto.
Do you have a ton of basilflowers, like the actual flowers
that grow up the stem?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
I've been kind of picking the flowers off.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Have you.
Yes, we used them a couple ofweeks back because we have a
bunch of basil in the garden aswell.
I am not a gardener, I right Iwish I were, but um, it's, it's
like I don't want to raise thecow, I want to cook the steak so
um, but, uh, but yeah, we had abunch of really nice, uh, basil
(18:17):
flowers and and we we used itin um um as as an edible garnish
and people were blown away withit.
They absolutely loved it.
So, yeah, don't throw it allover the place?
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Yeah, I should think about that.
Somebody told me not that longago that if you pick the flowers
off when they come up, thatit'll keep producing more basil.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Yes, yes, but then you can still use the flowers.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I should do that instead of tossing them over the
railing of the deck.
Yeah, I just do that, insteadof tossing them over the railing
of the deck.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Yeah, I just said that, Although the bunnies might
like that yeah that's true.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
That's true.
I'm feeding the local wildlife,so it's all good.
Yeah, Now can you tell me thestory behind your can of chef
and how it started and how it'sevolved?
Speaker 1 (19:02):
It's been a fun little ride.
Your can of Chef actuallystarted out as the roadside
gourmet, a buddy of mine.
In 2018, I think, he and Idecided we were going to take a
motorcycle trip.
We were going to load up ourbikes and we were going to drive
(19:23):
.
We called it the lap.
We were going to do amotorcycle trip.
Uh, we're going to load up ourbikes and we're going to drive
uh, we're we called it the lap.
We're going to do a lap of, uh,north and Central America.
We're going to go down to thePanama canal, um, sort of ride
down the East coast of theUnited States and then ride back
up the West coast into Canadaand ride completely across
Canada.
And so, um, and we're onincredibly limited budget, and
(19:46):
so we said, you know, let'slet's create a YouTube channel
that that is, uh, me cooking offthe kitchen that I carry on my
bike, and so, you know, it's acouple of little burners and and
and a couple of pans.
I did have cast iron, cause I'ma psycho Um, but uh, um and so,
and so it started there.
Then COVID killed that trip,but we kept the roadside gourmet
(20:08):
going, and to the point wherewe actually bought an ambulance
and built that out so that itcould be a teaching kitchen.
Oh wow yeah, did all kinds offun stuff with the roadside
gourmet and I think it stillexists somewhere in the YouTube
ether and so we started doing abunch of cooking videos.
(20:34):
And then I got introduced to theconcept of cooking with
cannabis, and so we kept theRoadside Gourmet brand for a
little while and then slowlytransitioned over to your
CannaChef.
And I mean, the original planof your CannaChef is not what it
is today.
The original plan we were goingto be.
(20:55):
The goal was to be the largestdatabase of cannabis-infused
recipes on the planet.
That was our goal, and westarted off and we were building
things, and then we asked forsubmissions.
We got a handful of those.
So basically, the the the pitchwas send me your grandmother's
tomato sauce recipe and I'llshow you how to infuse it and
(21:17):
keep it, keep the integrity ofthat sauce where it was right.
So that was the concept.
And then, um, and, and then itjust started evolving.
We started getting asked tocook for people and we started
hosting events, and then westarted, you know, doing private
dinings, and then people wereasking us to teach them, and all
of this while I was workinganother job uh, you know, doing
(21:39):
doing 50 hours a week.
Uh, at that, doing 50 hours aweek at that.
And then, honestly, the tippingpoint was you, I don't want to.
I mean, I do want to pump yourtires, but you know, it was Bite
Me, cannons Club, because westarted doing the cooking videos
(22:01):
for your platform and thepassion just kicked back in.
And for me, with cooking, it cancome and go unless I'm doing it
every day.
And so the passion came back inand three months ago about that
, I quit my job and said we'regoing to do this full time and
(22:27):
it's.
I mean, the learning curve ismassive.
We've had three or fourdifferent product ideas.
You know we had infused mealkits, which we're still working
on.
That is.
That's backburnered for aminute because of some laws that
we need to juggle, but so we'readvocating hard for a few
(22:48):
changes there.
But then people just kept askingto learn and asking to learn.
So, yeah, over the last month,month and a half, we've been
rocking a bunch of really coolcooking classes in person.
It's the only way I will do itbecause you really get it,
(23:09):
instead of me lecturing andsaying you know this is how you
cook this.
You can go online and figureout how to cook anything, but in
person we can really drive home.
You know the care andresponsibility of cooking with
(23:30):
this plant and and the differentways that we can do it, and
we've we've just hooked up withI think I can mention it.
Yeah, okay, you know what?
if I can't, I've my hands know,and then my hands, my hands been
slapped before, um, but but we,we, just we we've just hooked
up with uh, with a localcannabis company, um called uh
(23:53):
station house, and they're agrower and a um and and uh and a
dispensary, and and the generalmanager over there is a
fantastic guy.
He was actually just at one ofour, our workshops, and, uh,
they are doing a bunch ofcutting edge research on uh, on
(24:15):
culinary cannabis, and, and sowe're, we're, we're, hopefully,
working with them.
So, yeah, it literally startedwith, you know, know, a little
YouTube channel that, uh, thatwas me cooking off the back of a
motorcycle and and now it's,it's, it's this, this just super
, you know, turning a hobby intoa business.
(24:36):
It's everybody's dream.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Yeah, it is.
Honestly, that's amazing.
That's quite a quite anevolution, and I met you around
the time when you were bringingin submissions for these recipes
from folks, and I know we spokeon the phone several times and
you have been a longtimelistener of Bite Me, which I
think is amazing.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
I could actually say that I've listened to I'm going
to say 90%.
This is how I listen topodcasts I start at number one I
start at the first one, and Iknow that made you cringe when I
told you that.
I did that.
But any podcast I start atnumber one.
If number one can get me hooked, then I'm in.
(25:19):
And I used to drive for a living, so I had hours and hours and
hours and hours to listen tostuff.
So I felt like I knew youbefore.
We chatted just because of theplatform.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
But I love that because, also, like the
in-person events, I think peopleare really looking for that now
as well, and also the videosthat you post in the Bite Me
Canvas Club are incredible,mainly because it's not again
just like making a brownie orwhatever I can do that, but you
are infusing cannabis intoactual meals and it's just more
(25:56):
elevated culinary cannabis, Iguess.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
And we try to keep it pretty simple.
And we try to keep it prettysimple.
You're not going to see medoing crazy Michelin star stuff.
It's just why would I?
I'm not trying to teach a bunchof chefs how to be chefs.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Right, so yeah, it's very approachable.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Yeah and so our goal is to make things that people
can repeat.
Go home and make a pasta, apasta.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
it's fun yeah, because if you can't repeat it
in your home kitchen, thenyou're probably not going to
want to do it.
Because I have seen lots ofrecipes where you need, like you
know, real specialtyingredients and they have to go
out and find those and then justsome pretty advanced techniques
that I probably haven't playedaround with much, and then you
look at your final outcome andyou're like, well, that sucks.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
How much did I just spend to?
Speaker 2 (26:51):
decide that that sucked.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's like those Pinterestfail memes that I see a lot,
but yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
And we're all there Like, like, that's, that's the
thing, like when, when peoplestart cooking, and and
especially when people find outthat I'm a chef and and you know
, jeanette's fat friend, so, soJeanette and I just got married
last year, which was fantastic,and, but but when, when people
find out that she's married to achef, we don't get invited for
(27:20):
dinner, we don't get invited fordinner, like, and and really,
and, and you know, it's, it's,it's one of those things that,
because they're like, yeah, Idon't know, he's a chef, I don't
want, and, again, my favoritemeal is the one that somebody
else cooks for me.
But, right, yeah, uh, but youknow, if, if, if what we teach
can be can be done at home, thenthen I'm winning and I'm doing
(27:40):
it right yeah, I totally agreeand I'm glad to hear the
in-person classes are goingreally well.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
I'm not surprised, but I'm glad to hear that they
are.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
They're a blast.
They are so much fun.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Yeah, yeah Now.
So you've been doing thesecooking classes and you're
pretty involved in culinarycannabis.
Have you noticed any trends inwhat people are looking for when
it comes to cannabis-infusedfood?
Speaker 1 (28:05):
I think it comes to infused cannabis, infused food.
I think there's there's a coupleof things people are really
looking for access to infusionsright the infusions themselves
yeah, uh, because, let's behonest, I can sit here and say,
all right, so all you do is popin, you know, some can of butter
or some oil, or even someisolate and and, and, and, and
you can go.
But if you don't, if you don'tknow how to do that um, or if
(28:28):
it's not something that thatexcites you, um, honestly, the
infusion process is boring.
Thank you for the 30 minute one, though that has that I, I
started.
As soon as I listened to thatepisode, I started started doing
my own, my own, um, because Itrust you and all, but I wanted
to do my own research, and, andman, that's frigging awesome,
(28:51):
that is so awesome, and uh, andso.
So, yeah, people want access tooils and butters and, uh, and
sugars and whatever.
We're not there.
If somebody is interested,reach out.
(29:11):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Did I wink?
Speaker 1 (29:13):
I'm not sure if I winked but also comfort foods.
It's how do I infuse myspaghetti?
How do I infuse my spaghetti?
How do I infuse, you know, mymashed potatoes?
It is stuff that they'realready cooking, and so how do I
make that work?
(29:33):
That, really, and that excitesme because it suggests that
we're looking for candidates tobecome a pantry item for
cannabis to become a pantry itemand you know I treat everything
that I cook with respect,whether it's basil or cannabis.
(29:58):
But the idea that it could justbecome a regular staple in
people's pantries, that excitesme.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
That makes me really, really, really, really, really
happy yeah, and I think thatalso shows like a maturity
perhaps in the cannabis consumer, now that I mean, we're both in
canada so we've enjoyedlegalization for a little while.
But people are looking beyondthe brownie, to use that off
used phrase.
But yeah, people are interestedin things just past the brownie
(30:23):
or the gummy and yeah, you'reshowing people that it can be
done quite easily and it's sosimple.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
It really is.
Um again, once, once you haveaccess to to infusions, you can
trust, yeah, um, you know, I,when we started doing infusions,
I read everywhere on theinternet, um, because you know,
if it's on the Internet it'strue, and that you know, you
take an ounce of weed and youtoss that in butter and that's
(30:54):
how you make an infusion.
It's like an ounce, my God Likeyeah, that's what you're making
is crazy, and so you know, wedo.
I to a to a cup of fat, I dothree and a half grams.
Right, I yeah, I would, half aquarter is what I call it.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
But a half quarter.
Yeah, ontario, I know it's aneight.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
But yeah, that's, and I go with low THC weed Like I
don't you know.
Again, the goal isn't, isn't,isn't just be messed up all the
time.
It's, it's the, it's, it's thehave, have the experience and
have my body, have my body,actually benefit from from
eating the food.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Both from the cannabis and from the food.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
So yeah, I totally, I totally agree with you on that.
I think people are I don't wantto say microdosing per se,
because microdosing for oneperson might be mean nothing,
like somebody else might notfeel it at all but I just feel
like being more mindful aboutthose doses because, you're
right, like putting an ounceinto even a couple of cups of
butter can make a really stronginfusion.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
It's a lot of weed too, like I don't know how where
everybody else's budget is.
But uh, you know, and and I'm abit of a legacy guy obviously,
with um, with, with the businessthat's all through the ontario
cannabis store, but um, but thebut, but yeah, I mean personally
I'm, yeah, I'm a legacy guy,but an ounce of weed is, you're
(32:31):
not that that's, that's notcheap no, it's not.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I mean if you're growing it.
There's a lot of growers thatlisten to this show, so maybe
they have access to all thattrim, because you can use trim
in your infusions as well.
But yeah, it does add up a lot.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Use the three and a half grams and then smoke the
rest, right.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Yeah, exactly.
I mean.
Yeah, I do like to vaporize.
Use my dry herb vaporizer whileI'm waiting for the edibles to
kick in, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Now and that's an interesting one to kick in
Absolutely Now, and that's aninteresting one.
At some of our dinings we'vehad people like show up and say,
is it okay if we just go smokea joint?
And I'm like I'm never going tosay no, but ideally don't right
(33:24):
.
Ideally, let the progression ofthe different cannabinoids that
we're going to introducethroughout the meal be the
experience.
And you know, afterwards, sureI'll smoke a bowl with you, but
before maybe not, maybe not.
But I mean, that's just for ourexperience, it's not.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
You know, while you're waiting for it to kick in
, hit it, go nuts, yeah, I hearwhat you're saying, because
you're suggesting just let theexperience be the experience and
see what you notice about it,because I think it's really
interesting what you can noticeas well when you go into
something like that and you'resober.
Then go from there.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
And then we play with how the CBD can play with that,
with how the CBD can play withthat and managing the physical
experience is a big part of whatwe do is making sure that we're
counterbalancing and that it'sjust a glow.
The goal is to be a glow.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Right Now.
You've hosted a few of these bynow.
What has been the mostmemorable experience?
That you've had a few of theseby now?
What has been the mostmemorable experience?
Speaker 1 (34:25):
that you've had so far.
It happens every single time.
Every time it is when peoplehave that aha moment.
Where, uh, where, where theywhether it's a cooking class or
a dining, or or even just aconsultation where they have the
(34:51):
aha moment of, oh, this iscontrollable, oh, this, okay,
this guy's not just messing withus when he says I can give you
two and a half milligrams, orwhen he says where's your number
.
It is that, and especially withthe home cooks that we're
teaching, when they're able togo, oh, wow, like this really is
(35:14):
just butter with a kick or it'sand, and, and we can do so many
fun things with it, and I thenI show, and so we had, it's what
people just, and it happensevery time and it's what keeps
me excited, like I just, I lovewatching people.
I don't when, when I was doingnon-infused, um, we, we got
(35:37):
certainly a lot of fun feedbackand people loved our private
dinings and I was a private cheffor a long, long time, but, and
I loved it.
But you don't get the wow, likejust that, this, this is
infused dining, right, like and,and so that, yeah, absolutely
(36:02):
the most memorable experiencehappens every time, which is
great, keeps me excited that isgreat.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Yeah, because it sounds like you have some more
classes coming up, which we'lltalk about in a few minutes yeah
, for sure um, how do you seethe role of edibles evolving in
the wider cannabis culture andindustry, and maybe in Canada in
particular, just because wehave the advantage of federal
legalization?
Speaker 1 (36:25):
How do I see it or how do I want it?
Speaker 2 (36:28):
You can probably touch on both.
Those are probably twodifferent things.
Yeah, they are.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
I see it evolving slowly.
Working with Station House, I'mnot going to give away any
other trade stuff, but I don'teven know if I'm allowed to
mention it six to eight months,um, that really could
(36:55):
revolutionize, uh, the way weapproach uh, dining, uh, and and
and infused food, and, and I'mreally excited.
It's a question now they can dothis, they've got the pockets,
they have the, they, they havethe, the, the background and the
history and the knowledge, theknowledge and the reputation.
(37:17):
So I do think there's somereally cool things, but I think
it's going to be a slow process.
But I remember when you hadJordan Wagman on and you asked a
similar question and his answerwithout hesitation was that the
(37:40):
future is in culinary, and to adegree I do agree with him.
I would actually like to see theindustry, the overall cannabis
industry, embrace the concept ofculinary.
But I also understand whyrestaurants are a long way off,
(38:04):
pardon me, yeah, a really longway off, because without
stringent controls like really,really stringent controls it
could be a very, very dangerousspace where, uh and so so I'm an
advocate for the concept for,for culinary, um, cannabis, but
(38:33):
I, uh, I know there's going tobe a as a group, the discipline
to, uh, to just greenlightcannabis restaurants right now.
I think.
I think that, as a group, um,and and I just mean the entire
industry um, we, we, we need, weneed some guardrails put on
(38:56):
that because, uh, and, and,whether that is a product that's
, you know, supplied by, byothers, or or what have you that
, that then we as chefs cantweak, um, there's just too many
variables that that can gosideways in in in a restaurant
setting, and so, uh, I'd love tosee us get there.
(39:17):
So I agree with Jordan, I thinkthe future is culinary, but I
think it'll be a lot morehome-based than it will be
commercial for a long, long time.
I don't see cannabisrestaurants being greenlit
anytime soon.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
Yeah, I tend to agree with you on that.
The one space I would like tosee maybe a little more
flexibility is like usingcannabis beverages out, because
I just feel as though that issomething that I would prefer to
consume, because I just findalcohol is problematic in so
many ways.
Like I don't live in town, Ilive outside of town now, so I'm
(39:55):
always driving into town, whichmeans I have to drive, I have
to be so careful and sometimes Idon't want to drink.
Yeah, I'm getting older andthose hangovers and the way it
makes me feel is often not greatafter having like just one or
two and I'm like, uh what?
But I can't go and like justout to a bar with a friend and
(40:15):
be like can't go and like justout to a bar with a friend and
be like it's either drinking, orit's water or pop.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Yeah, yeah and I love other options and and I
completely agree with you onthat that that that if, if bars
could offer you know theexisting beverages, or, or, or
you know even mocktails basedoff of them, or or, however,
however, they need to do it, Ithink that's entirely reasonable
, right?
Like, if I go to a bar and haveyou know five pints, I probably
(40:42):
shouldn't be driving.
If I go to a bar and have 50milligrams in beverages, I
probably shouldn't be driving.
So it's all the same thing, andso, yeah, I mean offering those
to adults.
Is you know, the choices thatwe can realistically make?
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Yeah, and we make those choices all the time Like
that's the world we live in.
But we'll see.
I think that could be maybe notas slow, but just as slow as
getting to culinary cannabis.
But you know, I don't mind itbeing like more private, if you
will.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
I gotta admit If it was more accessible in some ways
I gotta admit, I'm 50 years old, I have zero interest in
opening another restaurant.
I have none like zero um, andI've had so many people come up
and go, oh, you know, yeah, thiswould be, this would be
fantastic.
And I was like, yeah, no, I'velived that life, I've done that.
(41:38):
It is, it's not easy, oh it's,don't get me wrong, I loved
every second of it.
But I'm also at a point in mylife where you know we've got
grandkids, we just want to relax, we just, we just, and you know
going.
So, yeah, they can, we canstick to private dining, because
(42:02):
I love it and I get thatpersonal interaction where every
experience is a chef's tableand and and.
So, yeah, I, I'm, I don't knowI'm biased, I'm, I'm okay with
it staying private.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
Yeah Well, like you said, it's going to take a long
time to get there anyway, withthe way the current legislation
is, but one day we will be there, and who knows when.
I never thought I'd seelegalization in my lifetime
either, and here we are.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
Now, if somebody wants a consult, right.
If somebody is looking for aconsultation on how to operate
that, I'd be happy to do that,Right.
Yeah day to day, I'm out yeah,yeah, no, that that's fair.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Um, so if somebody is listening, somebody listening
wants to get better at cookingwith cannabis.
Is there a single tip that youwould offer?
Like what's the?
Yeah, I guess, yeah, I guess,I'll leave that to you.
The one thing Cooking withcannabis.
Speaker 1 (43:01):
Block a lot of time off because you are going to
mess up and you are going toexperience some cannabis highs
that you didn't even knowexisted.
So and embrace that, right.
If you walk into it scared,that's going to be, that's going
to be a terrible, terrible high, um, but but just know that
(43:23):
that bowl of soup, uh, mighthave you staring at golf and not
knowing what players names are,uh, so, so, yeah, I mean, go in
with intention.
Um, the more that you can, themore that you can learn, the
more that other people can teachyou.
Um, you know, follow thatadvice.
If you know, shameless plug,reach out to your Canada chef.
(43:44):
We'd be happy to, to, to teachyou how to do things.
Um, but yeah, um, best advice,do it intentionally, don't.
Don't guess.
Guessing is, guessing is foramateurs.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Yeah, and there's actually really no reason to
guess anymore, becauseeverybody's talking about dosing
and all this kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
Go to Margaret's website.
She's got a fantasticcalculator and we took ours down
when we did the redesign of thewebsite and I need to figure
out a way to get it back in.
I need to reach out to my ITguy and get that done, because I
can't do it.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
Yeah, I know, that's admittedly not something I did
on my own, fair enough.
Yeah, that back-end coding andstuff is not my forte.
Yeah, yeah.
So block off lots of time.
I do like that because if youare starting a new project in
the kitchen as well, you needtime to decarb, you need time to
infuse.
Even if it is shorter thanconventionally thought, you need
(44:45):
all the time to do all thosethings.
So you're better off never notrushing the process.
Speaker 1 (44:51):
And it's like any amazing dish, it's an evolution,
Right, any amazing dish, it'san evolution.
When I'm creating a dish,especially for our fine dining
clients, I work through it adozen times before I'm happy
with it.
I think I told you this story.
(45:15):
We made a gluten-free puffpastry because one of our guests
had celiac but really wantedthis puff pastry dish we were
doing and I spent.
I remade that probably 20 timesbecause I just wasn't.
And if you've ever made puffwhich I don't know why anybody
(45:37):
would Like I don't make puffpastry oh, okay, you can buy
puff pastry.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:45):
But for this one.
You can't buy gluten-free puffpastry, so I battled with that
and battled with it, and I'vebeen a chef for 30 friggin'
years.
So if you're making mistakes inthe kitchen, it's okay, right,
just take a breath, take yourtime, do it again.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Yeah yeah.
There's a couple of recipesthat have bested me more than
once, so I can I can attest tothat I am proud to say that I
got the friggin puff pastryright.
Yeah, because I'm free baking.
That's a whole different thing.
What do you?
Speaker 1 (46:19):
do with xantham and I mean it takes.
Yeah, I mean making puff pastry, because you have to chill it,
the everything has to be supercold, the butter has to be
incredibly cold.
I wasn't even infusing the puffpastry, this was just making
puff pastry right uh, the thenumber of times that dough balls
went flying across my kitchenwith moments of chef rage
they're uncountable.
Speaker 2 (46:41):
I will probably stick to buying my puff pastry
because I don't need it to begluten I recommend it, I
absolutely recommend that yeah,now, speaking of buying tools,
is there a kitchen tool orgadget that you can't live
without?
And this can be just like anykitchen gadget.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
I'm not necessarily specific to cannabis cooking,
but I love that question, um, I,I I'm not a gadget guy, um, but
there's, there's a couple ofthings in my kitchen that I
couldn't live without, Um, firstone's my, my chef knife.
Um, I have had there's there'sno longer a branding on my chef
(47:17):
knife.
It has been, it's a hankle myfavorite, and every everybody
has their favorite.
That doesn't make me right, um,but I've had this thing for 30
years, um, it's traveled theworld with me and I, and it has
been a steady, steady friend inmy life.
And so, yeah, my chef knife,absolutely.
(47:38):
And cast iron.
I have an unhealthy obsessionwith cast iron and some may say
an unhealthy collection of it,but I love cooking in cast,
absolutely love cooking in cast.
And so if there were two thingslike if I was being I love
cooking in cast, absolutely lovecooking in cast, and so so if,
(47:58):
if there were two things like ifI, if I was being stranded on a
desert island, give me my chefknife and a good cast iron pan
and I'll figure it out.
Speaker 2 (48:06):
I love those answers because when you don't really
understand how good a knife isuntil you use some really shitty
ones and uh, most dangerous,most dangerous thing in the
kitchen is a dull knife yes, andpeople are like, why is that?
But it slides instead ofslicing and then you're sliding
into your flesh and then youhave blood everywhere and it's
not a fun experience.
(48:27):
So I you know you don't andwe've all done it yes, oh,
absolutely I.
I have not a while.
I actually have decent knivesright now.
But nice, funny, my, my dad hasa set of knives because I moved
in with my dad like a while.
I actually have decent knivesright now.
But nice, funny, my, my dad hasa set of knives because I moved
in with my dad like a while ago.
And they are.
They like the blade is almostworn off yeah and I remember
(48:48):
when I moved in, I brought myknives.
He's like oh, these are prettygood.
Speaker 1 (48:50):
I'm like yeah, that's because they're 50 years old it
cuts tomato flesh, it doesn'tjust crush the fruit cool yes,
and I don't know why he stilluses those knives, but he just
keeps everything.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
So there's that, but, and cast iron.
I love that too, and for thoselistening, uh, if you, because
it can get pretty priceysometimes too, I think, but it's
definitely something to lookfor in like thrift stores or
garage sales.
Speaker 1 (49:15):
I was going to say you're talking to an incredibly
cheap Dutch chef.
So I have again an ungodlycollection of cast iron, and I
would say 90% of it was boughtfrom estates in crap condition.
And then I get to spend thetime and and again.
(49:39):
This is just my silly littlepersonality.
There's nothing like spendingan afternoon bringing cast iron
back to life and because I I'venever, I've never met a cast pan
that I can't fix.
So, um, and, and you know, whenpeople are using my cast um,
they're like, oh, I don't know,I don't want to wreck your cast,
(49:59):
it's like you can't.
Speaker 2 (50:01):
Yeah, I know, because you're right Like it can look
pretty awful and then you canseason it and fix it back up.
Yeah, it's like you can wreckmy seasoning.
Speaker 1 (50:10):
You can leave it outside all winter and be rusted
as hell and come springtime,give me, give me, you know, a
few hours with it and a fewhours that I'd love doing um,
and and we'll get her fixed.
So, yeah, it shouldn't beintimidating yeah, perfect.
Speaker 2 (50:26):
Now, this one's a bit of a shameless shameless plug
in a way.
But what excites you aboutbeing part of the bite me
cannabis community, the cannabisclub?
Speaker 1 (50:35):
the, the cannabis club has been awesome and, um,
selfishly, uh, you guys are mytest kitchen right, a hundred
percent you're, you're my testkitchen with live feedback.
So, uh, I, I selfishly, I loveit because, uh, because we can
go and try, you know, a puffpastry rat brie with a maple
(51:02):
pecan glaze and break it down toa simple process and people
love it.
And so you know, we can dostuff, but stuff that I wouldn't
necessarily just do for shitsand giggles at home.
So, selfishly, my personal testkitchen it's fantastic, but
(51:26):
more than that, it's the people.
I'm comfortable saying that I'man expert at what I do, that
I'm an expert at what I do.
I am not an expert withcannabis, all facets considered.
Right yeah, right, I am not.
I'm still learning.
(51:48):
We're always learning, andanybody who says that they've
got it all figured out, theyneed to wake up and realize that
there's more to figure out.
And so the community itself isjust this robust group of people
that that that arenon-judgmental, um, that that
will, that that have differentskill sets and different ideas
(52:12):
towards the plant and and tojust sit and chat about it is
fantastic and, um, I will get onthe high table soon.
Yeah, that has been, it hasbeen on.
Tuesdays are bad for me, butright, uh, that is, that is
something that that, uh, that II have full intention of, of
jumping on and and just sittingback like I, yeah, like, like
(52:33):
you guys know way more than I do, so um, I would agree with that
, just because, collectively,there's a ton of knowledge in
that space and I couldn't havesaid it better myself.
Speaker 2 (52:43):
So thank you for that .
You're a valuable member of ourcommunity and I really do like
the the vibe that's happeningover there.
It's a, like you said, it's apretty welcoming space.
Speaker 1 (52:52):
So for anybody listening.
Just just go, go check it out.
Go check it out.
It's awesome.
Speaker 2 (52:59):
Now you are also, when you're not busy running
cooking classes and and thatkind of thing, you're building a
tiny house and I think that'slike the coolest thing ever.
So I would love to hear whatinspired you to take on that
project.
Speaker 1 (53:17):
Her name is Jeanette and last September 14th we
married.
But it's been a dream and thegoal is to retire, sort of Like
(53:38):
I'll never retire, but to slowlife down.
And so a big part of that wasbuilding the tiny house.
And so we're fortunate to havesort of a family legacy piece of
property up on Lake Simcoe and,uh, and there was a space, and
(54:01):
so a couple of years agoJeanette and I bought this kit
and last year we laid thefoundation for it and this year
we built it, and there's goingto be a lot of finishing work
that has to happen, but the planis that, uh, next, next summer
we'll be, we'll be moving upthere and living a really
(54:26):
stripped-down life.
And that has me really excited,because living in Nicaragua for
as long as I did really gave meappreciation of how little it
takes to be happy and uh, and,and that quality over quantity,
etc.
Etc.
Etc.
Speaker 2 (54:43):
So so, yeah, so the tiny house has been, it's been,
a fun project, it's, and I can'twait to see photos of it when
it's completely done, like whenall the things are are done and
and that kind of that kind ofstuff.
And I do like that you sort ofmentioned this paring down,
because I feel like we live in aplace where the things you own
end up owning you and so themore stuff you have, the more
(55:07):
stress there is around thatownership, because you have to
look after these things and andthat's and that's that's a life
lesson, I think it just takesexperience.
Speaker 1 (55:17):
And when I first went down to Central America, it was
let's kick the tires on this,see if it'll work.
And the plan was to be gone forsix months, three and a half
years later, and forgotten toleave years later and forgotten
(55:41):
to leave, um, and, and you knowit's, but living like.
I mean, I took down, I tookdown a couple of bags in my, at
my chef role.
That was it, and uh, and anddecided to to make a life
cooking the freshest food I'veever seen.
And uh, it was.
It was fantastic, but hadnothing, had had practically
nothing, sold everything that Iowned back in Canada and I came
(56:02):
back to decide to rebuild allthat.
So you know, yeah, they changed.
Speaker 2 (56:07):
Put in a bit of a pared down way.
Speaker 1 (56:09):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (56:09):
Yeah, it's still holding true to your values.
Now, do you envision your tinyhouse connecting in some way to
your culinary cannabis work?
Speaker 1 (56:18):
Let's just say that the square footage of my outdoor
kitchen is going to be largerthan the footprint of the house.
So the house, in order to staylegal and I won't get into all
of the things that we had to gothrough but the whole house is
240 square feet.
(56:39):
It's a full two stories.
So 140 square feet upstairs and100 square feet downstairs.
The kitchen that we'll bebuilding off the back of it.
It'll be similar to the kitchenthat I have here at the house,
and anybody who wants to seethat.
You have to join Bite MeCannabis Club, hold you hostage,
(57:03):
but no, it's.
And so, yeah, the kitchen'sgoing to be a big, big part of
that.
Now, we don't plan on livingthere in the winter, so the plan
(57:26):
is to have some affiliatepartners working within your
CannaChef to keep the momentumgoing in that, and then we'll be
doing some virtual things.
Speaker 2 (57:35):
But, yeah, the goal is to be in warm places during
the cold months here and thencome back for the fun months.
That sounds like the perfectplan to escape when it's not,
when it's cold and dark andmiserable here in Canada, and
come back for like spring fall.
Speaker 1 (57:45):
Yeah, have you ever?
Have you ever looked at?
Have you ever looked outside inthe dead of winter, like
February 13th, where it's justmiserable and blowing and gone?
Why do I?
Why do I do this?
Speaker 2 (57:56):
Every winter for the last 40 years.
Yeah, I have.
It's not even the cold.
Sometimes it's dealing with thesnow, like you know, when you
have to shovel it or just moveit in order to leave your house,
and uh, it's just yeah, oryou're depressed because it's
dark.
Speaker 1 (58:14):
Yeah well, yeah, yeah Well, yeah Well, and I'm hoping
not to miss that, so, so,that's that's the goal.
That's the goal.
And uh, you know what?
Uh, dreams, dreams only happenwhen you work towards them.
So we've been, we've beenworking hard on this one.
Speaker 2 (58:27):
Yeah, that sounds like a pretty awesome plan.
People about you.
Speaker 1 (58:32):
Adam, my ability to cook has, both literally and
figuratively, saved my life.
That having that skill, havingthat trade, has given uh to dig
(58:56):
myself into and out of holes.
But, um, when, in 20, 2015,.
Um, my, my life, my life took,took a turn I had not planned on
and uh went through a nastydivorce and uh eventually just
said I don't, I don't, I don'tneed money anymore.
(59:16):
So I just signed whatever thelawyers needed me to sign to be
done with things.
And then I went down toNicaragua, which is where I had
been before.
I had a social network, but Ihad 600 bucks.
That was it.
I had 600 bucks and a planeticket.
And I went down to CentralAmerica and decided to redefine
(59:41):
myself, and so I started bycooking dinners for expats, and
I don't mean private dining, Imean I went home, I lived in a
little shed in this Nicaraguanbarrio and it was fantastic.
(01:00:02):
My rent was $150 a month and ithad this little kitchen off the
side and I called myself thetwo-burner gourmet, because all
I had was two burners and Iwould make stroganoff.
I would make stroganoff, I'dmake whatever, and I would go
and I would pre-portion them andI would take them into the
(01:00:23):
central park of the town that Ilived in and I'd sell them to
expats and that's how I mademoney.
And I went from doing thatliterally just existing, just
surviving to a few months laterhaving the private chef business
take off, where now I'mstrapping.
(01:00:46):
Now I had money to buy amotorcycle and now I was able to
put a backpack full of thefreshest food I've ever seen in
my life and drive up into thejungle and do private caterings
for tourists and and.
Then I created just this, thissubsistence for that.
That that kept me, kept megoing for three and a half years
(01:01:08):
, and and and and so, yeah, thatI think it would surprise
people that my ability to cookliterally saved my life.
It's one of the things that I'mmost proud of, that I hit the
hardest rock bottom and my loveof food and the appreciation of
(01:01:33):
other people of my food, yeah,recreated me.
It was fantastic.
Speaker 2 (01:01:40):
I love that and I think that's a really good place
to end this conversation.
Except I would ask where canpeople find you out in the world
?
Speaker 1 (01:01:50):
Directly adamatyourcannachefcom.
Go to our website,yourcannachefcomca.
Um our socials, um I thinkthere's links, but uh, we are
yeah, yeah, this is, this is,this is where, where, where my,
uh, my, my online acumen isgoing to uh show itself.
(01:02:12):
Uh, I believe we are yc chef onFacebook.
Speaker 2 (01:02:16):
Yes, you are Actually , I know that.
Speaker 1 (01:02:18):
Okay, and on Instagram, which I just received
the login information for ourInstagram last week because we
had somebody else running it andso I now have that which we are
your C Chef.
Yes, On.
Instagram your sea chef.
(01:02:39):
Yes, on instagram, um, and andother than that, like we we want
, we want to do, um, a bunch ofexclusive dinings, um,
especially for the fall.
I have some some great ideasfor for uh, menus and stuff and
I can travel.
So if anybody in Ontario, Iwill stay within Ontario.
(01:03:02):
If anybody in Ontario wants toreach out and just have a chat
about how we can do some funfood, either do it through our
website or get on Bite MeCannabis Club.
Have I flogged this enough?
Get on Bite Me Cannabis Club.
And everybody.
Speaker 2 (01:03:17):
I flogged this enough .
Get on, bite Me.
Speaker 1 (01:03:18):
Cannabis Club and everybody can reach out and chat
with us there too.
Speaker 2 (01:03:22):
That's awesome and I'll be sure to put all those
links in the show notes sopeople can find them easily and
find you, adam, and I just wantto say thank you so much for
your time today.
Speaker 1 (01:03:30):
It's been a real pleasure.
Yeah, the pleasure's all mine,I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (01:03:34):
Friends, I hope you enjoyed that conversation as
much as I did.
I will link to where to findAdam and to dinners that he's
hosting in the show notes.
And if you were listening tothis and you thought, hey, you
know what, I know somebody whowould really enjoy this
conversation as well, whip outyour phone right now and share
with them, because sharing iscaring and it helps spreads the
word of this show, of this show.
With that, my friends, I'm yourhost, margaret, and until next
(01:03:58):
time, stay high.
I even made notes, perfect.
Speaker 1 (01:04:03):
Which is not You're well prepared.
That is not me.
I made notes.
Speaker 2 (01:04:07):
Yeah, so-.
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