As cannabis legalization unfurls across the country, talented chefs who love the plant and love food are increasingly looking to combine their passions with private dinners and events that bring infused foods to the table. But like many things in the cannabis world, a lot of attention has been paid to West Coast chefs who have been working in the space. It’s time that East Coast canna-chefs start getting the attention they deserve. Here are some of Urban Aroma’s favorite East Coast cannabis chefs, from North to South; book them for your holiday parties and 2021 shindigs, and check out their high-end edibles and infused foods!
Maine
If you find yourself up north for a weekend, be sure to check out the infused confections from Tara Canaday of Pot + Pan, a licensed commercial kitchen that manufactures premium edibles. Canaday is known for her macarons, and she also works with retailers across the state to offer treats like take-and-bake cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, bonbons, and other infused sweets. Pot + Pan is also in the process of opening up a dispensary in Portland, ME, where you can try Canaday's beautiful chocolates, gummies, and other infused products. Pot + Pan is also launching a CBD store on their website, so look for that soon. Find menus and more about Pot and Pan on Instagram at @potandpan_me.
Boston
Boston is one of the East Coast’s hottest culinary cannabis spots thanks to two chefs who are churning out delicious infused foods: David Yusefzadeh of Cloud Creamery and Edgard Hunt of Dope Dinners Boston. Yusefzadeh has worked under some of the world’s best chefs – Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mario Batali, to name two – and brings the fine dining model to his private dinner series Sacrilicious. His work at Cloud Creamery is focused on bringing high-quality cannabis food products that offer wellness and health solutions. You can find him on Instagram at @chefyusef and @eatsacrilicious.Edgard Hunt has also worked alongside some big-name chefs, and brings a unique New England-meets-Caribbean vibe to his high-end infused dishes at Dope Dinners. Think grilled oysters, squash and lobster bisque, and infused crudo kissed with bright, fresh tropical flavors. Hunt and his wife Anna operate Dope Dinners’ private events, and have worked hard to find COVID-safe operating systems in 2020. Find and book them on Instagram at @chief_ed_ and @DopeDinnersBoston.
New York
Perhaps the most-lauded East Coast Chef is NYC’s Miguel Trinidad, whose company 99th Floor Edibles has been offering infused dinners and delights for the past few years. Trinidad is a well-respected mainstream chef, a James Beard Award nominee, and a restaurateur, but his foray into cannabis cuisine is best known for his appearance on the high-dining TV show Bong Appetit. At his invitation-only private dinner series, guests are treated to infused fine dining with global flavors inspired by Trinidad’s Dominican roots and travel to the Philippines. Find Trinidad and 99th Floor on Instagram at @chefmigsNYC and @99thfl.Longtime Hamptons caterer to the stars Cynthia Sestito serves up microdosed fare with her company, Cynfuly Canna. Sestito, who you may recognize from her appearance on season one of Top Chef, offers guest menu options categorized by sativa, hybrid, or indica, and offers hors d’oeuvres-style menus featuring infused bites like sativa hybrid-infused tiger green curry grilled shrimp with black pearl rice, and hybrid-infused gravlax with lime, herb and tomatillo salsa on a puff pastry. Book her here, and find her on Instagram at @Cynfulfood_.In New York City, another chef’s chef has made the transition to the cannabis world: meet Evan Young, executive chef of a private dining series known as High End. Evan has worked in some of the city’s best kitchens, and brings a keen skill for plating and focus on unique ingredients to his infused dishes, which range from infused scallop with lardo and green strawberry umeboshi to fermented and slow-roasted carrots with infused labneh, puffed wheat berries, and infused husk cherries. Find him on Instagram at @xyourhighnessy.
DC Metro Area
Green Panther Chef has been servicing the DC Metro area since 2017, where Chef Jazz offers up full-service private dining, including dishes like infused pasta Bolognese, chicken and waffles, and a full brunch menu. As an advocate for the medical uses of culinary cannabis, Chef Jazz also offers virtual cooking classes and consultations, as well as an online educational portal for cooking with CBD. Find Chef Jazz’s courses here, and find her on Instagram at @greenpantherchef.
Florida
One of California’s biggest names in culinary cannabis recently relocated to the East Coast, so Florida, you’re in luck: Coreen Carroll will be bringing her expertly crafted Cannaisseur Series to tables near you soon. Founded in the Bay Area in 2015 by Carroll and her husband Ryan Bush, the Cannaisseur Series offers private dining with seasonal, precision-dosed cuisine. Carroll is also the co-author of Edibles: Small Bites for the Modern Cannabis Kitchen, which offers a wide variety of infusion techniques and recipes. Find her on Instagram at @frauleinchef and @cannaisseurseries.On the southern tip of the East Coast, Miami-based chef Alex Lotero is serving up exquisite infused foods with his company Misfit Culinary Group. Part art, part high-cuisine, Lotero offers stunning seasonal dishes made with chef-technique and ingredients. Find him on Instagram at @patrick.bateman86 and @misfitculinarygroup.Follow author Rachel Burkons on her cannabis culinary adventures at @smokesipsavor.
