Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Arts and another in Culinary Nutrition, the one cooking trick Jennifer Felmley didn’t learn at Johnson & Wales University was how to infuse cannabis into her dishes.
The San Diego-based chef and cookbook author runs a successful business called Chef Jenn Cooks, which offers “cannabis experiences” as one of her services. She also holds cooking classes (in person and virtual) and provides private chef services throughout San Diego County. But her fanfare extends well beyond Southern California via live cooking sessions she conducts for free at 4 p.m. every Sunday on Instagram under the name @chefjenncooks.
Felmley has mastered the art of combining cannabis and culinary all on her own ever since marijuana and its slew of extracted products became legal for recreational use in California in 2018. As a result, she landed a contestant spot earlier this year on Food Network’s “Chopped 420” series, which is the cannabis version of the long-running show, Chopped. She didn’t win, but gained valuable national exposure as an authority on the subject.
We caught up with Felmley between cooking and teaching gigs to learn more about how she utilizes cannabis into her “elevated” dinners.
The Hash Star: When did you first start cooking with cannabis?
Felmley: As a Southern California native—and my mother probably doesn’t want to hear this—it was when I was in my teens. I remember making my first pot brownies when I was around 14 or 15 years old. I started cooking with cannabis professionally when it became medically legal in California, and then legal recreationally.
I remember after it became medically legal, people began looking for trusted sources on where they could get cannabis edibles. The demand has since shifted from making cannabis edibles into creating culinary cannabis experiences and private dinners.
The Hash Star: Is there a specific demographic that hires you for the ‘cannabis experiences?’
Felmley: No. Shaggy isn’t the only person smoking weed anymore.. I’ve had clients who are in their late 70s and probably haven’t used cannabis since the 1970s. On the other side of the spectrum are groups of high-end investors who might want a cannabis cheese course or dessert as part of their dining experience. And there are those who want family-style dinners with every course infused with cannabis. I get everything from older couples and professional business people to everyday locals.
The Hash Star: What are some of your favorite cannabis-infused recipes?
Felmley: I have a horrible sweet tooth, so my favorite is a burnt-orange caramel sauce infused with hashish. I serve it over ice cream or bread pudding and for making caramel candy. With my Jewish background, I also love gravlax served with goat cheese and potato pancakes. The cannabis actually goes into the salmon as it’s absorbed into the fat of the fish during the curing process.
The Hash Star: Of the cannabis meal parties you’ve catered, what is the average number of attendees?
Felmley: My maximum number is 20 people. I generally recommend parties of eight because it means you’ll have enough people to socialize and a few who like to sit there silently and observe. It gives you a good combination of people.
The Hash Star: How do you gauge the level of high that each dish or drink offers?
Felmley: Every course is dosed. And I offer suggested dosages. If people follow my suggested doses, from beginning to dessert, they get a total of 10 milligrams of THC. Every infused component of the meal is clearly labeled. And guests have the option to add cannabis or not to their meal since all of the cannabis infusions are served on the side. In a roast chicken dinner, for example, there’s infused gravy and non-infused gravy on the table.
The Hash Star: What are some of the methods you use for infusing food and drinks with cannabis?
Felmley: I use everything, from pre-bought cannabis sugar or sweeteners called “shoogies,” to making my own cannabis-infused oils and butters. I don’t put cannabis leaves directly into foods because it’s not appealing in texture or flavor. But I do use it sometimes to create domes of smoke with a smoke gun, which looks like a cross between a bong and a gun.
The Hash Star: What strains or types of cannabis do typically use?
Felmley: I vary them throughout the meal. I like to start with a CBD mocktail, then transition to an Indica-dominant strain, and then move into a hybrid. I’ll finish off with a Setiva strain for something a little more upbeat. But all of that can be customized to the customer’s preference.
The Hash Star: Compared to non-cannabis dinner parties, do you find these meal gatherings are more fun and interesting to witness once your food and beverages are consumed?
Felmley: Clients who are willing to explore cannabis dinner parties are fun and enjoyable people who have fun and enjoyable parties—and who I wouldn’t mind hanging out with afterwards.
Felmley can be reached via her web site.
Note: This article was also published in October’s Umbrella Media Magazine.
Great article. All the right information in palatable form! I want to attend one of these dinners sometime!