With nearly 10 U.S. states legalizing the recreational use of cannabis, the well-known herb is now showing up in far more places than just your neighborhood dispensary. Cannabis has made the leap from the dispensary shelves to the prep counters of top chefs across the country, and cooking with cannabis is emerging as one of the most talked-about trends taking the industry by storm.

Although cannabis-based restaurants and menu items may be affected by the shifting boundaries of marijuana legislation, it seems that in most states where it’s been legalized, the sky is the limit – at least for the time being. A handful of chefs and cannabis industry influencers are getting particularly creative with the unique ingredient, making a name for themselves as leaders of the growing movement to bring cannabis into the kitchen. These influencers mentioned in the following article have create strong brands for themselves on top of the dedicated culinary skillset they’ve developed.

Here are just a few of the people paving the way with their dynamic approaches to cooking with cannabis:
 

Robyn Griggs Lawrence

It’s not every day you see a cannabis-focused cookbook on store shelves, but Robyn Griggs Lawrence’s The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook is setting the bar high. Her self-stated mission is to educate people about preparing organic cannabis-infused dishes to benefit their health and wellness, and she’s achieving this goal every day through her cookbooks, online course (“The Fundamentals of Cooking with Cannabis”), and in-person workshops.

She’s earned features from major publications like Bloomberg, the New York Times, Huffington Post, High Times, and more, bringing cannabis education to the mainstream media. Lawrence’s interests also extend to the history of cannabis, and she currently is working on a book about the interesting past of cannabis cuisine.
 

Miguel Trinidad

Miguel Trinidad has been a respected gourmet chef for years, delighting diners and critics alike with his skilled forays into Filipino cuisine. His award-winning dishes have garnered the attention of major media outlets and publications including the Food Network, Cooking Channel, and the GMA Network, but it’s only recently that he’s developed an impressive presence on the cannabis scene as well.

In 2015, Trinidad and partner Doug Cohen opened 99th Floor, a unique dining experience that’s focused on cannabis cooking. Private, invitation-only dinners offer the opportunity to enjoy the skilled gastronomy of Trinidad with cannabis-infused ingredients and is one of the industry’s early businesses of note in the field of cannabis cooking.
 

Andrea Drummer

Chef Andrea Drummer wasn’t always open to the idea of cooking with cannabis – in fact; she used to be staunchly against cannabis altogether. However, thanks to a mind-opening meeting with a cannabis industry advocate, Drummer has had a major change of heart. She now combines her culinary expertise with her blooming interest in cannabis as an ingredient, jumping into the concept of cannabis cooking wholeheartedly.

Her culinary events company, Elevation VIP, provides private experiences that blends fine dining with cannabis-infused inspiration in a cooking style that balances both French and Southern influences. She’s also ventured into other aspects of the cannabis industry with her curation of CBD-infused products for a New York boutique hotel, which includes snacks, beauty products, and even dog treats. Rounding out her cannabis-focused ventures is her involvement with a Netflix-produced show that focuses exclusively on a reality TV-style cannabis cooking competition.
 

Cannabis Cooking: What It Means for Cannabis Business Owners

With this exciting expansion of the cannabis industry and its proven potential for overlapping with several other major industries in America, many dispensary owners and others cannabis entrepreneurs are jumping in feet first.

One point you may be asking yourself; How did these chefs become known? Well one answer can be found in the unique ways they have marketed themselves in the cannabis industry. Having a strong brand to stand out is just the first step.

Once your name starts gaining speed in the industry, that’s when it’s paramount to connect with marketing support to leverage the buzz. Just like with the cannabis industry leading chefs mentioned above, digital marketing is an important part of overall brand awareness efforts as well as building a clientele.

The future for cannabis seems to be bright, with plenty of opportunity for small business owners who want to combine creativity and hard work with a truly dynamic product base. Having all your digital marketing efforts aligned is important-now more than ever.

If you’re a small business owner who wants to learn more about the dynamic nature of the cannabis industry, or you’re simply an enthusiast considering leaping into marijuana-based entrepreneurship, we invite you to contact the team at Marijuana Marketing Xperts today.