Chef Fred: Cooking with Cannabis since 2009

Infusing Festival Food Since 2009

The Festival circuit is really getting fierce.  I have been part of the medical cannabis movement since 1995.  In 2009, when I jumped into the cannabis arena and became a published cannabis chef known for catering infused meals, and helping patients source the best cannabis and oils to help relieve pain and fight cancer and any other ailment I could find that needed a remedy.  I have personally witnessed the birth of an animal.  High Times was the leader in all cannabis related media and information about cultivation, edibles, oils, kief, hash and procedures to do things correctly. There was little info to be found on the internet to teach about all the new up and coming cannabis entrepreneurs and fanatics exactly what is the right way.  Oh, how things will change by 2011. In 2011, the cannabis information highway became flooded with opportunities to become something. What do you want to do in the cannabis industry? The sky’s the limit. The information has become readily available to everyone with internet service. You can find out how to do anything you want.  Quality media outlets and events have started popping up giving cannabis users and entrepreneurs an opportunity to thrive.

2016 has been my busiest year since I started working within the community.  I have performed and taught at 3 High Times Cups, 2 Hempcon events, Las Vegas HempFest, Indo Expo Portland, 2 NCIA events, the Secret Cup, the Emerald Cup, Chalice, Coachella and many pop-up sessions in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan.  It’s actually been nuts!!!  The good, the bad and the ugly. I have seen and have had the opportunity to work with them all.  I have enjoyed all of the events as an experience having a platform to educate.

The two events that stand alone are the Emerald Cup and Chalice. The Emerald Cup is Northern California’s premier festival and Chalice is Southern California’s top event.

Chalice 2016 was a huge success. I have never seen as many actual infused food vendors selling real food, not high corn fructose edibles that you find in collectives.

It was amazing!  Chef Mike served waffle cones with infused mashed potato, mac and cheese, and pulled pork with a BBQ sauce drizzle or Chef Nugg’s Stoney Sauces. They were the bigger chefs, but I saw at least 20 other vendors with great cuisine. The infused food renaissance is awesome and I loved seeing people use my extracts and recipes in their vending opportunities.

Chef Fred on IG: @djcheffred