Chef Adam Vandermay’s Guide To Effortless Intentional Edibles

Margaret 00:00:04 Hello friends, and welcome to episode 316. And today I sit down with Adam Vander Mey of your Cana chef. What happens when you take a love of food, a passion for culture, and a deep knowledge of cannabis and you toss them all into one bowl. You get Bite Me, the show that helps you take control of your high life and helps cooks make great edibles at home. I am your host, Margaret, a certified Ganjier, a Certified Cannabis Educator through TCI, and I believe your kitchen is the best dispensary you'll ever have. And together we'll explore the stories, the signs, and the sheer joy of making safe, effective, and unforgettable edibles at home. So pre-heat your oven, friends, and get ready for an episode that you're going to love with Adam van der May. Now, Adam has been a long time listener of Bite Me, and I'm thrilled that he's also an integral part of the Bite Me Cannabis Club. and today we cover all kinds of things in this conversation, from how Adam got started as a chef, what brought him to culinary cannabis, how you can make better edibles yourself, and the evolution of your can of chef over time.

Margaret 00:01:15 So without my friends, please enjoy this conversation with Adam Vander Mey of your Canna chef. Everyone, I am thrilled to be joined today by.

Margaret 00:01:28 Adam Vander Mey of your Canna Chef. And some of you may be familiar with Adam through the Bite Me Cannabis Club. But Adam, I'm really thankful that you're joining me today. And why don't you tell introduce yourself to the listeners of Bite Me and we'll go from there.

Adam 00:01:45 Sure. Well, first off, the pleasure is mine. I mean, this has been kind of in the works for for a while now, and and. Yeah, I'm just excited to be here. but, Yeah, So I am one of the co-founders, and I've given myself the shiny title of executive chef at, at your candy chef. It's great when you own the company. You can call yourself whatever you want. but we are a cannabis cuisine instructional and, and private dining company. So we do. We do cooking classes. We do infusion classes. and I mean, our specialty is, is, is is private dining with our guests.

Adam 00:02:29 So. Yeah, we're just just excited to be here.

Margaret 00:02:32 Excellent. So we'll touch a little more on your kind of chef and what you're up to with that in a little bit. But before we do, maybe you can just tell us a bit about your cannabis journey, how it first began and how it's evolved over time.

Adam 00:02:47 much like cannabis itself. it's evolved aggressively. I mean, I started, I started, you know, playing around in high school, just just like everybody else and, and, and and to be honest, I, I got away from cannabis for, for a good part of my 20s and 30s, it was, it just wasn't something that was, that was part of part of my life. And then, now now it's back, obviously with a bit of a vengeance and, I, I guess the evolution is that I went from, you know, just getting high to get high, to using the plant with intent that that, now, you know, since legalization and studies and all of that have have really kind of kind of grown that, you know, you know, what, what the plant can do and, and the different things that it can do for you.

Adam 00:03:42 So I, I'd say the biggest evolution for me was, is, is intent that I intentionally use the plant now.

Margaret 00:03:50 Yeah, I really like that too actually. And I think I think that happens with a lot of folks. If they've been using cannabis for a while, and it's kind of the same with drinking, like when you're a kid, you drink to get drunk. Yeah. And then as you get older, you drink because you really like this single malt whiskey or this nice wine from a region that you enjoy. And it's very much the same with cannabis as well. Like, you just become a lot more aware of the things that go into what you're consuming. And yeah, so that intention I think is really important. And, a sign of a.

Adam 00:04:24 If you're about to call me mature. I'll, I'll stop you.

Margaret 00:04:28 I wasn't what I'm thinking.

Margaret 00:04:29 I'm thinking about myself, too, in some respects. But I don't know, I just feel like it, like consuming cannabis with intention is just something that comes along with a lot of the appreciation of the plant as well.

Adam 00:04:38 Yes.

Margaret 00:04:39 And learning more about that too. So I'm glad you you picked up on that and shared that with us. Now, what first inspired you to combine your culinary background with cannabis?

Adam 00:04:50 it was So I'm I'm a bit of a unique individual when I go on holiday. a lot of people will sit on the beach and, and read a read a novel, you know, whatever, I read cookbooks. it's just it it I always like to have something to, you know, glean ideas from to whatever. And so, my wife, and I guess it was before we were married, but, we were in, in Cuba, and, and so we kind of do a thing where I get her a book, she gets me a book, and, Oh. And my screen just went away. There we go. and, and she got me the official High Times cookbook, and, and and I had I'd had edibles before. I'd, I'd, I'd made mystery stuff and, and so reading through that, I was, I'm just sitting there on the beach going.

Adam 00:05:52 I can do this. Like, this is. This is amazing. Like, once, once you put sort of the science behind it, then, then then it gets really exciting. And so, I mean, as a chef, I just looked at it and went, I the things we can do are incredible. So, so yeah, we came back and and I just, I just really dove into, how to do this. And it's actually when I found you, because because I was like, I need I'm an information junkie, so I just, I just wanted everything that I could on it, and, and it's where I found Bite Me and, and then, you know, I've, I've obviously made myself somewhat of an expert in the field and, and, yeah, just made all kinds of mistakes along the way. But, you know, sometimes you need an afternoon on the couch.

Margaret 00:06:44 Well, sometimes it's also those mistakes that you tend to remember more to, right? Like when you make a mistake.

Margaret 00:06:49 Those are. That's where the lessons are learned.

Adam 00:06:51 The mistakes have. They have. They've created the entire foundation of kind of what? What we at your can believe in. and where where I mean, we're more micro, dosing than anything, and, and and. Yeah, it's for, for for me, it was, it was more of an eye opening of, you know, the experience that, that we can do through kind of dining and, and all of that, that, and just create that really unique experience for guests.

Margaret 00:07:26 Right. So I am curious if you like to read cookbooks. What is is there a cookbook that you think everybody, every chef or every home cook should have on their shelf?

Adam 00:07:36 Every home chef, every home cook should have at least one Jamie Oliver cookbook.

Margaret 00:07:43 Okay.

Adam 00:07:43 That and and and I don't say that because I'm a fanboy? Maybe a little bit, but, it it. His approach to cooking is very similar to mine, so I might be biased where it's, it's flavor first.

Adam 00:07:59 It's, it's, it's food to like intense again intentional cooking. And, I'm just a huge fan. It's simple, no nonsense cooking and, Yeah. Anything by Jamie Oliver.

Margaret 00:08:13 Okay, that's good to know, because I've seen a lot of Jamie Oliver recipes online. I don't actually have any of his books though, so.

Adam 00:08:19 I will.

Margaret 00:08:20 Fix that. I'll need to look out for some because, Yeah.

Margaret 00:08:23 There he's he has.

Adam 00:08:25 Yeah, he he has he has some great, like five ingredient books where.

Margaret 00:08:30 I would like that.

Adam 00:08:31 Where so and and for me it creates a really cool base. Right. So I can look at one of his recipes and and dissect it and go okay so this is why that works. And that works okay. So what can I do to make it mine? How can we how can we play with that? And I usually end up with way more than five ingredients.

Margaret 00:08:48 Right. Yeah. But it's a good place to start because especially a lot of busy home cooks who are like trying to feed families and all that stuff on a weeknight when everyone's, like, going in ten different directions.

Margaret 00:08:58 Yeah, you want those simple recipes to sort of, you know, sustain you, I guess, because otherwise you just don't do the cooking. If that's the case, if it's too complicated or time consuming. But speaking of two time consuming, I guess this isn't really related, but what's the most common mistake you see when when people are cooking with cannabis at home?

Adam 00:09:21 Biggest mistake probably actually cooking with cannabis.

Margaret 00:09:26 Okay.

Adam 00:09:28 for for me, any infusion is, is designed to be a finishing. So our sauces, our glazes, anything like that where I can control absolutely every Everything, whether it's flavor or percentages. So actually cooking with infused oils, using that as as your as your base. Huge mistake. Huge mistake. Because you're guessing. You're you're just guessing. And, I mean, you and I have talked about and I've heard you talk about on the podcast a hundred times that, you know, the mystery edible, it has no place in my life. I'm not interested if if somebody cooks me something, and, I mean, I get asked all the time, what's what's your favorite? What's your favorite meal? And my favorite meal is the one that somebody else cooks for me, right.

Margaret 00:10:24 Especially as a chef.

Margaret 00:10:25 Right. Yeah.

Adam 00:10:25 So I love a meal that somebody else cooks for me. But if somebody else cooks with cannabis and hands it to me and I say, all right, so like, how, how how aggressive am I looking at my, at the next few hours of my life? and they say, I don't know, I can't do it. Like, you know, and and so. So. Yeah. Biggest mistake not knowing your numbers and and. Yeah. Not being intentional with your infusions.

Margaret 00:10:53 Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I guess even when it comes to, like, baking, because you can have a pretty good idea of what you're baking with, I guess.

Margaret 00:11:01 Yeah.

Margaret 00:11:01 And then bring it into different, you know, like cookies or brownie squares or whatever.

Adam 00:11:06 That's right, that's right. And, and and that that has been, that has probably been one of the most interesting parts of, of the journey that has been your can of chef.

Adam 00:11:15 Like we hold cooking classes a couple times a week and every time, every single time someone will say, so, like, when are we making gummies and what? Like, that's that's not what, that's not what we do here. That said, I might do a gummy class because there's been a lot of a lot.

Margaret 00:11:32 Of requests for it. You gotta give people.

Margaret 00:11:34 What.

Margaret 00:11:34 They want. Exactly.

Adam 00:11:36 but but but yeah, it's it's it's funny that that, you know, still the majority of the big perception out there is, is, you know, it's it's brownies and cookies and gummies and and that's what we do. So, yeah, I'm on a mission to change that.

Margaret 00:11:50 Well, I'm glad because there is a place for all the the sweets and stuff, and, but you can also buy those in a dispensary too. So yeah, I mean, obviously it's more cost effective, way more cost effective to do it at home and do it yourself and you know exactly what's going in it.

Margaret 00:12:02 But when you sort of expand to actual cooking with cannabis, it really opens up a whole lot of doors. And I do like what you're saying, like infusing the sauces and the like, condiments and all those types of things, because it does also mean that that entire meal that you've made, can be shared with people who may have different tolerance levels because.

Adam 00:12:23 Yeah.

Margaret 00:12:24 It's going to be the same.

Adam 00:12:25 I call it twinning. So yeah, I, I, I anything that I can't that, that I can serve infused, I had better be able to twin it and be and have it not infused. And and so like when, when we're doing when we're doing private dining. Like if I was doing any sauce, I'll make three different versions of it. I'll make I'll make one that has zero THC, I'll make one that has 2.5mg. I'll make one that has 7.5mg, and then I can go anywhere from there.

Margaret 00:12:58 Right?

Adam 00:12:59 Right. So if somebody, if somebody says, you know, my comfort zones five, not a problem.

Adam 00:13:02 We can do that. and, and so that again, it simply goes back to the intention just, just being, being really, really knowledgeable about what is in the food.

Margaret 00:13:15 Yeah. It's super important to you when you're serving it to other people.

Margaret 00:13:18 So yeah. Yeah.

Adam 00:13:21 Hospitality starts with trust.

Margaret 00:13:23 Right.

Adam 00:13:23 And and I need I need every single one of our guests to trust us. Yeah.

Margaret 00:13:28 Yeah, absolutely. Because they are putting their faith in your hands that they're going to have an enjoyable experience.

Margaret 00:13:34 That's right, that's right.

Adam 00:13:35 And and I always say I always refer back to the first soup that I ever made with cannabis, and I didn't have a clue what I was doing. But I read, you know, read High Times, read everything I could about infusing, and just went, I can do this. And, that potato soup, put me on the couch for a number of hours. It was, it was I had one bowl and it had I went back the next day and did the math and and went, okay, that was about 90mg.

Adam 00:14:05 That could be aggressive.

Margaret 00:14:06 Oh, wow. For one serving or.

Margaret 00:14:08 For the.

Adam 00:14:08 One bowl of.

Margaret 00:14:09 Soup.

Margaret 00:14:09 Oh wow. Okay. Yeah. That would that would lay a lot of people out.

Adam 00:14:12 Yeah, yeah. I, I apparently watched golf for a long time.

Margaret 00:14:17 Right.

Adam 00:14:17 But, and I don't remember a single thing about the golf, so it was, Yeah. So, I mean, those are stories I tell all the time and, and now and, and so when, when we're talking to our guests, like, we just we I, I literally go to every guest and, and discuss how they're, where they're comfortable. What? What edible have you had that made you feel good? Where do you want to be? And and then I also talk about my limits. Where in in a in a in a meal. I won't serve more than 25.

Margaret 00:14:49 Right.

Adam 00:14:50 25mg over a five course meal. and that's, that's only to somebody who really wants it. Like, that's, that's the.

Adam 00:15:01 The way I describe it, you don't go to a fine dining restaurant and do seven shots of tequila before you eat.

Margaret 00:15:09 Or after.

Adam 00:15:10 Right? The goal isn't to get messed up. The goal is to have an incredible experience. And so so we've we've had to we've had to, you know, slow a few a few expectations down on some on some customers that were there like we're walking out of here just wrecked.

Margaret 00:15:27 Like, no, not.

Adam 00:15:28 Probably not.

Margaret 00:15:28 You're gonna see.

Margaret 00:15:29 And I can appreciate that too because for like I could consume 25mg. But then I'm not going to be feeling very social either. At that point, I'm going to be like, where's the where's the remote? I just kind of like veg on the couch and like, watch some comedy. I'm not going to be thinking about being social with other guests that are at an event.

Margaret 00:15:48 So yeah.

Margaret 00:15:49 Yeah, I think set and setting is also sort of comes up with that as well. Because, you know, some people, I mean, some people have really high tolerances and that's what it takes to get them there.

Margaret 00:15:59 But I do like that the more intentional you're not trying to get people like wrecked.

Adam 00:16:04 That's it. Like my goal isn't to get people there. My, my my goal is to open their eyes to just new experiences, new ideas that that. Wow. And if they want to go home and make my 80 milligram bowl of soup, fill your boots.

Margaret 00:16:21 Like, yeah.

Adam 00:16:21 I'll give you the.

Margaret 00:16:22 Recipe. Right.

Adam 00:16:24 but, you know, we try not to do that.

Margaret 00:16:26 Yeah, yeah. No. That's fair. Now, do you have a go to edible recipe that never fails to impress.

Margaret 00:16:32 I.

Adam 00:16:34 I love this question. I absolutely love this question. I bounce around.

Margaret 00:16:40 All.

Adam 00:16:40 Over the place. but, my go to wood is absolutely a pesto because from that base, we can do anything. so a good pesto where I know down to down to the tablespoon, how many milligrams is is in it. Then I, then I can have fun. Then then I can, you know, if we want to add tomatoes, we want to add whatever we can we can grow from there.

Adam 00:17:07 But yeah, the pesto always, always puts people's, a little bit of smile on people's faces, whether we're using it a pasta or a shadow or whatever.

Margaret 00:17:14 Yeah, no, pesto is a great answer. I love infused pesto. I just love pesto. Period. And we're recording this right now in August, when there is, like, an incredible bounty of stuff at, like, your local farmers markets and whatnot. You can freeze pesto too, two, right?

Adam 00:17:30 You sure can.

Margaret 00:17:31 Yeah. So for all of you folks listening out there, make some pesto.

Margaret 00:17:35 Yeah.

Adam 00:17:35 And you could do the old ice cube tray trick. Where? And then you've just got you've got little cubes of pesto ready to go.

Margaret 00:17:42 Yeah. I'm planning on actually doing that soon, because I have a bunch of basil on my deck that needs I need to do something with it.

Margaret 00:17:48 And I make.

Margaret 00:17:49 It pastoral.

Adam 00:17:50 Do you have a ton of basil flowers? Like the the actual flowers that grow up the stem.

Margaret 00:17:54 I've been kind of picking the flowers off.

Margaret 00:17:56 Have you?

Adam 00:17:57 Yeah, we we used them, a couple of weeks back because we have a bunch of basil in the garden as well. I am not a gardener, I.

Margaret 00:18:05 Right?

Adam 00:18:06 I wish I were, but, it's like I don't want to raise the cow. I want to cook the steak.

Margaret 00:18:11 Yeah. So.

Adam 00:18:13 But but, yeah, we had a bunch of really nice, basil flowers and and we we used it in, as, as an edible garnish. And people were blown away with it. Absolutely loved it. So. Yeah. Don't don't throw it.

Margaret 00:18:28 Yeah, I should think about that. Somebody told me not that long ago that if you pick the flowers off when they come up, that it'll it'll keep producing more basil.

Margaret 00:18:35 Yes. Yes.

Adam 00:18:36 And you can still use the you can still use the flowers.

Margaret 00:18:39 I should do that instead of tossing them over the railing of the deck.

Margaret 00:18:42 Oh, yeah.

Margaret 00:18:45 I just said that.

Adam 00:18:46 Although the bunnies might like that, so.

Margaret 00:18:48 You know. Yeah. That's true, that's true.

Margaret 00:18:49 I'm feeding the local wildlife, so it's all good. Yeah. Now, can you tell me the story behind your cat and how it started and how it's evolved?

Adam 00:19:00 It has, It's been a fun little ride. your cat, chef actually started out as the roadside gourmet. I a buddy of mine in 2018, I think, he and I decided we were going to take a motorcycle trip. we were going to load up our bikes, and we were going to drive. we called it the lap. We were going to do a lap of North and Central America. We're going to go down to the Panama Canal, sort of ride down the East coast of the United States and then ride back up the West Coast into Canada and ride completely across Canada. And so, and we're on incredibly limited budget. And so we said, you know, let's, let's create a YouTube channel that that is, me cooking off the kitchen that I carry on my bike.

Adam 00:19:53 And so, you know, it's a couple little burners and, and and a couple of pans. I did have cast iron because I'm a psycho. but, and so so it started there. The Covid killed that trip. but we kept the roadside gourmet going and, and to to the point where, we actually bought an ambulance and built that out so that it could be a teaching kitchen and.

Margaret 00:20:19 Oh, wow.

Adam 00:20:19 Yeah. Did did all kinds of fun stuff with the Roadside Gourmet. And I think it still exists somewhere in the YouTube ether. and so we started doing a bunch of cooking videos and then, and then in, then I, then I got introduced to, to the concept of, of, cooking with cannabis. And so we kept the Roadside gourmet brand for a little while and, and then slowly transitioned over to your canna chef. And I mean, the original, the original plan of your canna chef is not what it is today. the original plan we were going to be the goal was to be the largest database of, of of cannabis infused recipes on the planet.

Adam 00:21:03 That was our goal. And we started off and we were building things, and then we asked for submissions. We got a handful of those. So basically the the pitch was, send me your grandmother's tomato sauce recipe and I'll show you how to infuse it and keep it, keep the integrity of that sauce where it was. Right. So that was the concept. And then And then it just started evolving. We started getting asked to cook for people and we started hosting events. And then we started, you know, doing private dining. And then people were asking us to teach them. And all of this while I was working another job, you know, doing doing 50 hours a week, at that. And, and then, honestly, the tipping point was, was you. I don't I don't want to I mean, I, I do want to pump your tires, but.

Margaret 00:21:52 you know,

Adam 00:21:53 It was it was, it was, it was bite Mechanics Club because, we started doing the cooking videos for, for your platform, and, and the passion just kicked back in and and for for me with, with with cooking it come.

Adam 00:22:11 It can come and go unless I'm doing it every day. And so the passion came back in and, and, three months ago about that, I quit my job and and said, we're going to do this full time. And, it's I mean, the learning curve is massive. We've had 3 or 4 different product ideas. you know, we had infused meal kits, which we're still working on, that it's it's back burner for a minute because of some laws, that we need to juggle, but, so we're, we're, we're advocating hard for, for for a few changes there, but, but then, but then the people just kept asking to learn and asking to learn. So, so, yeah, over the last, last month, month and a half, we've been been rocking a bunch of really cool cooking classes in person. It's the only way I will do it. because you really get a instead of instead of me lecturing and saying, you know, this is how you cook this, you can go online and figure out how to cook anything.

Adam 00:23:18 Thing. but in person, we can really drive home, you know, the the care and responsibility of cooking with this plant and, and the different ways that we can do it. And we've, we've just hooked up with, I think I can mention it. Yeah. Okay. You know what? If I can't, I've.

Margaret 00:23:43 My hand let me know. And then my hands.

Adam 00:23:45 My hands been slapped.

Margaret 00:23:46 Before. but.

Adam 00:23:48 But we just we've just hooked up with, with a local cannabis company, called station House, and.

Margaret 00:23:55 They're all.

Adam 00:23:56 They're a grower and a, and and a and a dispensary and and the general manager over there is a fantastic guy. He was actually just at one of our, our workshops and, they are doing a bunch of cutting edge research on, on culinary cannabis. And, and so we're, we're, we're, we're hopefully working with them. So yeah, it literally started with, you know, a little YouTube channel that that was me cooking off the back of a motorcycle.

Adam 00:24:29 And, and now it's, it's it's this, this just super, you know, turning a hobby into a business. It's everybody's.

Margaret 00:24:37 Dream.

Margaret 00:24:37 Yeah. It is. Honestly. That's amazing. That's quite, a quite an evolution. And I met you around the time when you were bringing in submissions for these recipes from folks. And I know we spoke on the phone several times and you have been a long time listener by me, which.

Margaret 00:24:53 I have been amazing. I.

Adam 00:24:55 I could actually say that I've listened to, I'm going to say 90% like I started and this is how I listened to podcasts. I started at number one, I started the first one. And I know that made you cringe when I told.

Margaret 00:25:09 You that I did that. Yeah, but.

Adam 00:25:12 I Eddie podcast, I started number one. If number one can get me hooked, Then I'm in, then I'm in. And, Yeah. And, you know, I used to drive for a living, so I had hours and hours and hours and hours to listen to stuff, so.

Margaret 00:25:24 Right.

Adam 00:25:25 Yeah, I, I felt like I knew you before we chatted. Just because.

Margaret 00:25:29 I remember you said something to that.

Margaret 00:25:30 Effect.

Margaret 00:25:31 Yeah.

Margaret 00:25:32 Yeah, but I love that because also, like the in-person events, I think people are really looking for that now as well and not the also, the videos that you post in the Bite Me Cannabis Club are incredible, mainly because it's not, again, just like making a brownie or whatever. Like that's I can do that. But you are infusing cannabis into actual meals and that sort of it's just more elevated culinary cannabis, I guess. But yeah.

Margaret 00:25:59 And we try.

Adam 00:26:00 To keep it pretty simple.

Margaret 00:26:02 Like, I.

Adam 00:26:03 You're not going to see me doing, you know, crate crazy Michelin star stuff. It's it's just, it's it's why why would I? I'm not trying to teach a bunch of chefs how to be chefs, right?

Margaret 00:26:17 So yeah, it's very approachable.

Margaret 00:26:19 Yeah. For sure.

Adam 00:26:20 Yeah, absolutely. So our goal is to make is to make things that that people can repeat that go home and make a pasta.

Adam 00:26:25 Do a pasta. It's fun.

Margaret 00:26:26 Yeah.

Margaret 00:26:27 Because if you can't repeat it in your home kitchen, then you're probably not going to want to do it. Because I have seen lots of recipes where you need, like, you know, real specialty ingredients and you have to go out and find those. And then just some pretty advanced techniques that I probably haven't played around with much. And then you look at your final outcome and you're like, well, that sucks.

Margaret 00:26:46 You're not going to do.

Margaret 00:26:48 As.

Margaret 00:26:48 Much.

Adam 00:26:48 But yeah, how about how much did I just spend to.

Margaret 00:26:51 To.

Adam 00:26:51 Decide that?

Margaret 00:26:52 That sucked. Yeah.

Margaret 00:26:54 Yeah. It's like those Pinterest fail memes that I see a lot.

Margaret 00:26:57 But yeah. And we're all.

Adam 00:26:59 There, like like that's that's the thing. Like when, when people start cooking and and especially when people find out that that I'm a chef and, and you know, Jeanette's friends. So. So Jeanette and I just got married last year, which was fantastic. And, but but when when people find out that she's married to a chef, we don't get invited for dinner.

Adam 00:27:21 Like.

Margaret 00:27:21 And really and.

Adam 00:27:23 You know, it's it's.

Margaret 00:27:24 It's.

Adam 00:27:24 One of those things that because they're like, oh, I don't know. He's a chef, I don't want. And again, my favorite meal was the one that somebody else cooks for me.

Margaret 00:27:31 But yeah, but.

Adam 00:27:32 but you know, if, if, if what we teach can be, can be done at home, then, then I'm winning, then I'm doing it right.

Margaret 00:27:42 Yeah, I totally agree. And I'm glad to hear the in-person classes are going really well. I'm not surprised, but I'm glad to hear that they are so.

Adam 00:27:49 They are so much fun.

Margaret 00:27:50 Yeah, yeah. Now, so you've been doing these cooking classes and you're pretty involved in culinary cannabis. Have you noticed any trends and what people are looking for when it comes to infused, cannabis infused food?

Adam 00:28:03 I think there's there's a couple of things. People are really looking for access to infusions.

Margaret 00:28:11 Right?

Margaret 00:28:11 The infusions themselves.

Margaret 00:28:13 Yeah.

Adam 00:28:14 Because let's be honest, I can sit here and say, all right, so all you do is pop in, you know, some kind of butter or some oil or even some isolate and, and, and, and and you can go.

Adam 00:28:24 But if you don't, if you don't know how to do that, or if it's not something that, that excites you. honestly, the infusion process is boring. Thank you for the 30 minute one though.

Margaret 00:28:37 Yeah.

Adam 00:28:37 That has that. I, I.

Margaret 00:28:40 Started doing.

Adam 00:28:40 This as soon as I listen to that episode. I started doing my own. My own, because I trust you and all, but I wanted to do my own research, and and man, that's frigging awesome. That is so awesome. And, And so, so, yeah, people want access to oils and butters and, and sugars and whatever. We're not there. if somebody does, is is interested, Reach out. That's all I'm saying.

Margaret 00:29:11 Did I win? I'm not sure.

Adam 00:29:13 I'm not sure if I waked. But also comfort foods. Like. Like it's it's how, you know, how how do I infuse my spaghetti? How do I infuse, you know, my mashed potatoes? It is. It is stuff that they, they can that that they're already cooking and and so how do I make that work that really and, and that excites me because it suggests that that we're looking for candidates to become a pantry item.

Adam 00:29:41 And, you know, I treat, I treat every everything that I cook with, with, with respect, whether it's whether it's basil or cannabis. But, the idea that it, that it could just become a regular staple in people's pantries, that excites me that that that makes me really, really, really happy.

Margaret 00:30:05 Yeah. And I think that also shows like a maturity perhaps in the cannabis consumer. Now that I mean, we're both in Canada, so we've enjoyed legalization for a little while, but people are looking beyond the brownie, to use that off used phrase. But yeah, people are interested in things. Just passed the brownie or the gummy. And yeah, you're showing people that it can be done quite easily.

Adam 00:30:29 And it's so simple. It really is. again, once once you have access to to infusions, you can trust. Yeah. you know, I when we started doing infusions, I read everywhere on the internet, because, you know, if it's on the internet, it's true.

Adam 00:30:45 And, then, you know, you take an ounce of weed and you toss that in butter, and that's how you make an infusion. It's like an ounce. My God.

Margaret 00:30:58 Like, yeah, that's.

Margaret 00:30:59 What you're making is crazy.

Adam 00:31:02 And so, you know, we do I to a to a cup of fat. I do 3.5g. Right.

Margaret 00:31:08 I yeah.

Adam 00:31:11 I what half a quarter is what I call it, but

Margaret 00:31:15 A half quarter. Yeah. Ontario I know it's so, so an eight, an eight.

Adam 00:31:22 but yeah, that's and and and I go with low THC weed, like, I don't, you know, again, the goal isn't, isn't, isn't just being messed up all the time. It's it's, it's, it's to have have the experience and have my body have my body actually, benefit from from eating the food.

Margaret 00:31:42 Yeah. Yeah.

Adam 00:31:43 Both from the cannabis and from the food.

Margaret 00:31:45 So yeah, I totally I totally agree with you on that. I think people are I don't want to say microdosing per se, because microdosing for one person might be me.

Margaret 00:31:55 Nothing like somebody else might not feel it at all, but I just feel like being more mindful about those doses. Because you're right. Like putting an ounce Into even a couple of cups of butter can make a really strong infusion.

Margaret 00:32:08 A lot of lead to like it is a lot of meat. Yeah, I know, I don't know like.

Adam 00:32:12 I don't know how where everybody else's budget is. But you know and I'm a bit of a legacy guy obviously with with, with the business that's all through the Ontario Cannabis Store. But but the but but yeah, I mean, personally, I'm. Yeah, I'm a legacy guy, but an ounce of weed is you're not that that's that's not cheap.

Margaret 00:32:33 No it's not I mean, if you're growing it, there's a lot of growers that listen to this show. So maybe they have access to all that trim because you can use trim in your infusions as well. But yeah, it does add up a lot.

Margaret 00:32:44 Use the three.

Adam 00:32:45 Use of 3.5g and then smoke the rest.

Margaret 00:32:48 Like right.

Margaret 00:32:51 Yeah, exactly. I mean no yeah. I do like to, vaporize, use my dry herb vaporizer while I'm waiting for the edibles to kick in.

Margaret 00:33:00 So absolutely. No.

Adam 00:33:01 And that's an interesting one. at, at some of our dining, we've had people, like, show up and say, is it okay if we just go smoke a joint? And and I'm like, I'm never going to say no. but I really don't. Right. I ideally let the progression of the different cannabinoids that we're going to introduce throughout the meal be the experience. And, you know, afterwards, sure, I'll, I'll smoke a bowl with you, but, but but before maybe not. Maybe not. but I mean, that's that's just for our experiences. Not, you know, you while you're waiting for it to kick in and hit it, go nuts.

Margaret 00:33:44 Yeah, yeah. No, I hear you're saying because you're suggesting just let the experience be the experience and see what you notice about it.

Margaret 00:33:51 Because I think it's really interesting what you can notice as well, when you go into something like that and you're sober and then go from there.

Margaret 00:33:58 But.

Adam 00:33:58 One that we play with, you know, how the CBD can can can play with that. And and you know managing. Managing the physical experience is is a big part of what we do is making sure that we're, we're counterbalancing and that it's just a glow. The goal is to be a glow.

Margaret 00:34:17 Right now you've hosted a few of these by now. What has been the most memorable experience that you've had so far?

Adam 00:34:26 It happens every single time. Every time. It is when people have that moment where, where they whether it's a cooking class or a dining or, or even just a consultation where they have the moment of, oh, this is controllable. Oh this okay, this guy is not just messing with us. When, when he says, I can give you 2.5mg. everyone says, where is your number? It is that it's.

Adam 00:35:04 And especially with with the home cooks that we're teaching when, when they're able to to go, oh, wow. Like, this really is just butter with a kick or it's and and we can do so many fun things with it and then I show. And so yeah, it's when people just and it happens every time. And it's what keeps me excited. Like I, I just I love watching people. I don't when, when I was doing non infused we got certainly a lot of fun feedback and people loved our private dining and and I was a private chef for a long, long time, but, it and and I loved it. But you don't get the wow. Like, just that this this is infused dining, right? Like and so that. Yeah, absolutely. The most memorable experience happens every time.

Margaret 00:36:04 Which is great.

Adam 00:36:05 Keeps me excited.

Margaret 00:36:06 That is great. Yeah. Because it sounds like you have some more classes coming up, which we'll talk about in a few minutes.

Margaret 00:36:12 Yeah.

Margaret 00:36:12 For sure.

Margaret 00:36:13 how do you see the role of edibles evolving in the wider cannabis culture and industry? And maybe in Canada in particular, just because we have the advantage of federal legalization?

Adam 00:36:25 How do I see it or how do I want it?

Margaret 00:36:28 because those are both. Those are probably.

Adam 00:36:30 Two different.

Margaret 00:36:31 Things. Yeah. They are.

Adam 00:36:33 I see it evolving slowly. you know, working working with with station House. I'm not going to give away any other trade stuff, but, I don't even know if I'm allowed to mention it, but, they are working on, on a few things that they're hoping to bring to market in the next 6 to 8 months. that really could revolutionize, the way we approach, dining and and and infused food and and I'm really excited. It's a question. Now they can do this. They've got the pockets. They have the they have the the the background and the history of the knowledge, and the reputation. So. So I do think there's, there's some, some really cool things, but I think, I think it's going to be a slow process.

Adam 00:37:26 I, but I remember when you had, you had Jordan Wagman on. And you, you asked a similar question and his answer with out hesitation was that the future is in culinary and to a degree, I, I do agree with him. you know, I would, I would actually like to see see the industry, the overall cannabis industry, embrace the concept of of culinary. But I also like. I also understand why restaurants are a long way off. Pardon me? Yeah, a really long way off. Because without stringent controls, like, really, really stringent controls. it could be. It could be a very, very dangerous space where, And so, so I'm an advocate for the concept for, for culinary, cannabis, but I, I know there's going to be a lot of, a lot of cannabis chefs that get pissed off at this one. I don't think that we have as, as a group, the discipline to, to just greenlight cannabis restaurants right now. I think I think that as a group, and I just mean the entire industry.

Adam 00:38:53 we we we need we need some guardrails put on that because, and whether that is, product that's, you know, supplied by, by others or what have you that, that then we as chefs can tweak. there's just too many variables that can go sideways in, in, in a restaurant setting. And so, I'd love to see us get there. so I agree with Jordan, I think I think the future is culinary, but I think it'll be a lot more home based than it will be, commercial for a long, long time. I don't see cannabis restaurants being, being greenlit anytime soon.

Margaret 00:39:33 Yeah, I tend to agree with you on that. The one space I would like to see maybe a little more flexibility is like using cannabis beverages out, because I just feel as though that is something that I would prefer to consume, because I just find alcohol is problematic in so many ways. Like, I don't live in town. I live outside of town now, so I'm always driving into town, which means I have to drive.

Margaret 00:39:57 I have to be so careful. And sometimes I don't want to drink.

Margaret 00:40:02 Yeah, because.

Margaret 00:40:03 I'm getting older. And those hangovers and the way it makes me feel is often not great.

Margaret 00:40:08 After.

Margaret 00:40:08 Having like just 1 or 2 and I'm like, oh, but I can't go and like just out to a bar with a friend and be like, it's either drinking or it's water or.

Margaret 00:40:19 Pop or something. Yeah, I love.

Margaret 00:40:21 Other options.

Adam 00:40:22 And I completely agree with you on that, that, that, that if, if bars could offer, you know, the existing beverages or, you know, even mocktails based off of them or however, however they need to do it, I think that's entirely reasonable, right? Like if I go to a bar and have, you know, five pints, I probably shouldn't be driving if I go to a bar and have 50mg in, in, in beverages, I probably shouldn't be driving.

Margaret 00:40:48 Yeah. So it's all the same thing. Yeah.

Adam 00:40:51 And and so.

Adam 00:40:52 So, yeah, I mean, offering those to adults is, you know, the choices that we, we can realistically make.

Margaret 00:40:59 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 not as slow, but just as slow as getting to culinary cannabis. But, you know, I don't mind it being, like, more private, if you will.

Margaret 00:41:15 I got it, I got it.

Margaret 00:41:17 In some ways.

Margaret 00:41:18 I got it.

Adam 00:41:19 I'm 50 years old. I have zero interest in opening another restaurant. I have none like zero. and I've had so many people come up and go, oh, you know. Yeah, this would be, this would be fantastic. You should. And I was like, yeah, no, I, I've lived that life. I've done that. It is, it is

Margaret 00:41:41 It's.

Margaret 00:41:41 Not easy.

Adam 00:41:42 Oh, it's it's. And don't get me wrong, I loved every second of it.

Adam 00:41:46 but I'm also at a point in my life where, you know, we've got grandkids. We. We just want to relax. We just we just. And and and, you know, going. So, Yeah, they can we can stick to private dining because I love it. Like, I and I get that personal interaction where every experience is a chef's table and. And so yeah, I'm, I don't know, I'm biased. I'm, I'm, I'm okay with it staying private.

Margaret 00:42:15 Yeah. Well, like you said, it's going to take a long time to get there anyway with the way the current legislation is. But one day we will be there and who knows what. I never thought I'd see legalization in my lifetime, either. And here we are.

Margaret 00:42:28 Yeah.

Adam 00:42:28 Now, if somebody. If somebody wants a console. Right. If somebody's looking for a consultation on how to operate that, I'd be happy to do that.

Margaret 00:42:36 That'd be fun. Yeah.

Adam 00:42:37 Day to day.

Margaret 00:42:38 I'm out.

Margaret 00:42:39 Yeah. Yeah. No, that. That's fair. So if somebody is listening, somebody's listening. wants to get better at cooking with cannabis. Is there a single tip that you would offer? Like what's the. Yeah, I guess I'll leave that to you.

Margaret 00:42:54 Yeah. So what is the one thing? One. The one thing. Cooking with.

Margaret 00:43:00 Cannabis.

Adam 00:43:01 Lock a lot of time off because you are going to mess up and you are going to experience some cannabis highs that you didn't even know existed. 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. but but just know that that bowl of soup, might have you staring at golf and not knowing what players names are. so. So, yeah, I mean, go in with intention. the more that you can, the more that you can learn, the more that other people can teach you. you know, follow that advice. If you know, shameless plug, Reach out to your caddy, chef.

Adam 00:43:44 We'd be happy to to to teach you how to do things. But. Yeah. Best advice? Do it intentionally. Don't. Don't guess. Guessing is. Guessing is for amateurs.

Margaret 00:43:56 Yeah, and there's actually really no reason to guess anymore because everybody's talking about dosing and all.

Margaret 00:44:01 This kind of.

Margaret 00:44:01 Thing.

Margaret 00:44:02 Yeah.

Adam 00:44:02 Go, go go to Margaret's website. She's got a fantastic calculator. and and we took we took ours down when I, when we did the, the redesign of the website. And, I need to figure out a way to get it back in. I'm I'm just I need I need to reach out to to my IT guy and get that done, because.

Margaret 00:44:21 I can't do it.

Margaret 00:44:22 Yeah, I know that that's admittedly not something I did on my own.

Margaret 00:44:27 Fair enough. Yeah.

Margaret 00:44:27 That back end coding and stuff is not my forte.

Margaret 00:44:31 Yeah.

Margaret 00:44:31 Yeah. so block off lots of time. I do like that. Because if you are starting a new project in the kitchen as well, you need time to d carb and you need time to infuse even if it is shorter than you know conventionally thought.

Margaret 00:44:44 You need all the time to do all those things so you're better off never not rushing the process.

Adam 00:44:50 And it's like any. It's like any amazing dish. It's an evolution. It.

Margaret 00:44:57 Right.

Adam 00:44:57 Like when, when I'm creating a dish, you know, especially for, for our fine dining clients. I work through it a dozen times before. I'm happy with it. we made, I think I told you this story. We made a gluten free puff pastry because. Because one of our guests had, celiac and and but really wanted this puff pastry dish we were doing, and I spent I remade that probably 20 times because I just wasn't I. And if you've ever made puff, which I don't know why anybody would like, I don't I don't make puff pastry.

Margaret 00:45:40 Okay.

Adam 00:45:40 You can buy puff pastry.

Margaret 00:45:42 Yeah. but,

Adam 00:45:44 But so but for this one, you can't buy gluten free puff pastry. So, I battled with that and battled with it, and I've been a chef for 30 frigging years.

Adam 00:45:54 So if you're making mistakes in the kitchen, it's okay.

Margaret 00:45:59 Right.

Adam 00:46:00 Just take a breath. Take your time. Do it again.

Margaret 00:46:05 Yeah, yeah. There's a couple of recipes that have bested me more than once, so I can. I can attest to that.

Adam 00:46:11 I am proud to say that I got the friggin puff pastry right.

Margaret 00:46:14 Yeah. Free baking.

Margaret 00:46:16 That's a.

Margaret 00:46:17 That's.

Margaret 00:46:17 That's a.

Margaret 00:46:17 Whole different piece.

Adam 00:46:19 What do you do with Phantom? And I mean, it it.

Margaret 00:46:21 Takes.

Adam 00:46:22 I mean making puff pastry because you have to chill it. The everything has to be super cold. The butter has to be incredibly cold. I wasn't even infusing the puff pastry. This was just making puff pastry.

Margaret 00:46:32 Right, right.

Adam 00:46:33 the the the number of times that dough balls went flying across my kitchen with moments of chef rage.

Margaret 00:46:39 Right.

Adam 00:46:39 There.

Margaret 00:46:40 Uncountable.

Margaret 00:46:41 I will probably stick to buying my puff pastry because I don't need it to be.

Margaret 00:46:44 I recommend it, I absolutely.

Adam 00:46:46 Recommend.

Margaret 00:46:46 That.

Margaret 00:46:47 Yeah.

Margaret 00:46:47 Now, speaking of buying tools, is there a kitchen tool or gadget that you can't live without? And this can be just like any kitchen gadget. I'm not necessarily specific to cannabis cooking.

Margaret 00:46:58 But I.

Adam 00:46:58 Love that question. I, I I'm not a gadget guy. but there's, there's a couple of things in my kitchen that I couldn't live without. first one's my my chef knife. I have had there's there's no longer a branding on my chef knife. It has been. It's a Henkel. My favorite. And every everybody has their favorite. That doesn't make me right. but I've had this thing for 30 years. it's traveled the world with me and I, and it has been a steady, steady friend in my life. And so. So. Yeah. My chef knife. Absolutely. And, cast iron. I, I have an unhealthy obsession with, with cast iron and, some may say an unhealthy collection of it. but I am. I love cooking and cast absolutely love cooking and cast and so, so if there were two things like if I, if I was being stranded on a desert island, give me my chef knife and a good cast iron pan and I'll figure it out.

Margaret 00:48:06 I love those answers because one, you don't really understand how good a knife is until you use some really shitty ones. And,

Margaret 00:48:15 Most.

Adam 00:48:15 Dangerous, most dangerous thing in the kitchen is a dull.

Margaret 00:48:17 Knife.

Margaret 00:48:18 Yes. And people are like, why is that? But it's slides instead of slicing, and then you're sliding into your flesh, and then you have blood everywhere. And it's not a fun experience. So I, you know, you don't.

Adam 00:48:29 And we've all done it.

Margaret 00:48:30 Yes. Oh, absolutely I have not in a while. I actually have decent knives right now, but. Nice. Funny. My my dad has a set of knives because I moved in with my dad like, a while ago. And they are. They like, the blade is almost worn off.

Margaret 00:48:46 Yeah.

Margaret 00:48:46 And I remember when I moved in, I brought my knives. I was like, oh, these are pretty good. I'm like, yeah, that's because they're.

Margaret 00:48:52 Not 50.

Margaret 00:48:54 Years.

Margaret 00:48:54 Old.

Adam 00:48:55 It cuts tomato flesh.

Margaret 00:48:56 It doesn't just.

Adam 00:48:57 Crush the fruit.

Margaret 00:48:58 Cool.

Margaret 00:48:58 Yes. And I don't know why he still uses those knives, but he just keeps everything. So there's that butt and cast iron. I love that, too. And for those listening, if. Because it can get pretty pricey sometimes too, I think. But it's definitely something to look for in like thrift stores or garage sales.

Margaret 00:49:15 I was going to say things like that.

Adam 00:49:16 Say you're you're talking to an incredibly cheap Dutch chef.

Margaret 00:49:21 So.

Adam 00:49:23 I have, again, an ungodly collection of cast iron. And I would say 90% of it was bought from estates.

Margaret 00:49:32 With.

Adam 00:49:33 In crap condition and and then I get to spend the time and again this is just my silly little personality. There's nothing like spending an afternoon bringing cast iron back to life. And because I've never I've never met a cast pan that I can't fix. So, and, and, you know, when people are using my cast, they're like, I don't know. I don't want to wreck your cast.

Adam 00:49:59 It's like.

Margaret 00:50:00 You can't like, yeah, that's.

Margaret 00:50:01 I know, because you're right. Like, it can look pretty awful and then you can season it and fix it back up.

Margaret 00:50:06 Yeah. It's like you could, you can break. Yeah, you can break my season.

Adam 00:50:10 You can leave it outside all winter and be rusted as hell. And, come springtime, give me, you know, a few hours with it and, and a few hours that I love doing. and we'll get her fixed. So. Yeah, it shouldn't be intimidating.

Margaret 00:50:25 Yeah. Perfect. Now, this one's a bit of a shameless, shameless plug, in a way. But what excites you about being part of the Bite Me cannabis Community Cannabis Club?

Adam 00:50:35 The Cannabis Club has been awesome. And, selfishly, you guys are my test kitchen.

Margaret 00:50:44 Right?

Adam 00:50:45 100%. You're my test kitchen with live feedback. So, I, I selfishly, I love it because, because we can go and try, you know, a puff pastry wrap Brie with a maple pecan glaze and break it down to a simple process.

Adam 00:51:06 And, and people love it. And so, you know, we could do stuff. Stuff that I wouldn't necessarily just do for shits and giggles. at home. So. So, yeah. so selfishly, yeah. My personal test kitchen is fantastic. but more than that, it's the people, right? Like, I am I'm comfortable saying that I'm an expert at what I do. I am not an expert with cannabis, all facets considered.

Margaret 00:51:44 Right?

Adam 00:51:44 Yeah, right. I, I am not. I'm still learning. We're always learning. And anybody, anybody who says that they've got it all figured out, they need to wake up and realize that there's more to figure out. And so. So the community itself is just this robust group of people that, that, that are non-judgmental. that, that will, that, that have different skill sets and different ideas towards the plant and, and to just sit and chat about it is fantastic. And, I will get on the high table soon.

Adam 00:52:20 Very soon. That has been it has been on Tuesdays are bad for me, but.

Margaret 00:52:25 Right.

Adam 00:52:25 that is that is something that that, that I have full intention of, of jumping on and and just sitting back like. Yeah, like like you guys know way more than I do. So,

Margaret 00:52:36 Collectively.

Margaret 00:52:37 I would agree with that just because collectively there's a ton of knowledge in that space. And I couldn't have said it better myself. So thank you for that. You're a valuable member of our community, and I really do like the the vibe that's happening over there. It's like you said, it's a pretty welcoming space.

Margaret 00:52:52 So I'm really anybody for anybody listening.

Adam 00:52:55 Just just go, go check it out.

Margaret 00:52:57 Go check.

Adam 00:52:58 It out. It's awesome.

Margaret 00:52:59 Now you are also when you're not busy running cooking classes and and that kind of thing, you're building a tiny house. And I think that's like the coolest thing ever. So I would love to hear what inspired you to take on that project.

Adam 00:53:16 Her name is Jeanette.

Margaret 00:53:19 And.

Adam 00:53:20 last September 14th, we married, but, It's. It's been a dream. and, the the goal is, to to retire. sort of like, I'll never I'll never retire. but to to slow life down. And so a big part of that was building the tiny house. And so we've, fortunate to have, a sort of a family legacy piece of property up on, up on Lake Simcoe and, and there was a space. And so a couple of years ago, Jeanette and I bought this kit, and last year we laid the foundation for it, and this year we built it. And there's going to be a lot of finishing work that has to happen. But the plan is that, next, next summer will be, will be moving up there and, and and living the living a really stripped down life and and that, that has me really excited because, you know, living living in Nicaragua for as long as I did really gave me an appreciation of how little it takes to be happy.

Adam 00:54:37 And, and that quality over quantity. ET cetera. ET cetera, etc.. So? So, yeah. So the tiny house has been it's been a fun project. It's.

Margaret 00:54:46 And I can't wait to see photos of it when it's completely done. Like when.

Margaret 00:54:50 All the me two.

Margaret 00:54:51 Things are, are done and, and that, kind of that kind of stuff. And I do like that you sort of mentioned this pairing down, because I feel like we live in a place where the things you own end up owning you. And so the more stuff you have, the more stress there is around that ownership, because you have to look after these things and.

Margaret 00:55:11 Yeah, and that's and that's, that's.

Adam 00:55:13 A life lesson. I think it just takes it just takes experience. Yeah. And and you know when, when I first went down to, to Central America. it was, you know, let's let's kick the tires on this. See if it'll work. And, the plan was to be gone for six months.

Adam 00:55:31 Three and a half years later, I'd forgotten to leave. and and, you know, it's. But living like. I mean, I took down I took down a couple of bags in my and my chef role. That was it. And, and decided to to make a life. Cooking the freshest food I've ever seen. And, it was it was fantastic. But had nothing. Had had practically nothing. It sold everything that I owned back in, back in Canada.

Margaret 00:56:00 And,

Adam 00:56:02 and I came back to, you know, decided to rebuild all that, so.

Margaret 00:56:05 You know, yeah, they changed.

Margaret 00:56:07 But in a bit of a pared down way.

Margaret 00:56:09 So. That's right.

Margaret 00:56:10 Yeah. It's still holding true to your to your values. Now, do you envision your tiny house connecting in some way to your, your culinary cannabis work?

Adam 00:56:18 Let's just say that the square footage of my outdoor kitchen is going to be larger than the.

Margaret 00:56:26 Footprint.

Adam 00:56:27 Of the house. So the house, the house in order to stay legal.

Adam 00:56:33 And I won't get into all of the all of the things that we had to go through. But the whole house is 240ft². it's a full two stories. So 140ft² upstairs and 100ft² downstairs. the kitchen that will be building off the back of it. it'll it'll it'll be similar to, to the kitchen that that I have here at the house. And, anybody who wants to see that, you have to join Bite Me Cannabis Club.

Margaret 00:57:01 Haha.

Adam 00:57:02 hold you hostage.

Margaret 00:57:03 But.

Adam 00:57:04 But no, it's. And so. So. Yeah. The kitchen. The kitchen is going to be a big, big part of that. Now, we don't plan on living there in the winter. so the plan, the plan is to, is to have somebody to have have some affiliate partners working within your kind of shift. Keep the momentum going, in that and then we'll be doing some virtual things. But, but yeah, the goal is to to be in warm places during the cold months here and, and then come back for the fun months.

Margaret 00:57:35 That sounds like the perfect plan to escape when it's not, when it's cold and dark and miserable here in Canada and come back for, like, spring. Fall.

Margaret 00:57:45 Yeah.

Adam 00:57:46 Have you.

Margaret 00:57:46 Ever.

Adam 00:57:46 Have you ever looked at. Have you ever looked outside in the dead of winter, like February 13th, where it's just miserable and blowing and gone? Why do I.

Margaret 00:57:55 Why.

Adam 00:57:55 Why do I do.

Margaret 00:57:56 This.

Margaret 00:57:56 Every winter.

Margaret 00:57:57 For the last 20 odd years?

Margaret 00:57:59 Yeah I have, it's not even the cold. Sometimes it's dealing with the snow. Like, you know, when you have to shovel it or just move it in order to leave your house and, it's just. Yeah. Or you're depressed because it's dark five.

Adam 00:58:15 Yeah. Well, yeah. Well. And I'm hoping not to miss that. So.

Margaret 00:58:18 So that's that's the goal. That's the goal. Yeah.

Adam 00:58:20 And, you know what? dreams. Dreams only happen when you work towards them. So we've been we've been working hard on this one.

Margaret 00:58:27 Yeah, that sounds like a pretty awesome plan. Now, what would surprise people about you, Adam?

Adam 00:58:38 that my ability to cook has both literally and figuratively saved my life. that that having having that skill, having that trade, has given me opportunity, to dig myself into and out of holes. But, when in 20. 2015. my my life, my life took took a turn I had not planned on and, went through a nasty divorce and, eventually just said, I don't I don't I don't need money anymore. So I, I just signed whatever the lawyers needed me to sign to be done with things. And then, and then I went down to Nicaragua, which where I had, I had been before I had a social network. but I had 600 bucks. That was it. I had 600 bucks in a plane ticket, and I, I went down to Central America and decided to to redefine myself. And so, I started by cooking dinners for expats. And I don't mean private dining.

Adam 00:59:54 I mean, I went home, I went, I lived in a little shed in this Nicaraguan barrio, and it was fantastic. My rent was 150 bucks a month. And, and it had this little kitchen off the side. And I called myself the two Burner Gourmet because all I had was two burners. And, And, I would make stroganoff. I would make whatever. And I would go and I would proportion them, and I would take them into the central park of the town that I lived in, and I'd sell them to expats. And, that's how I made money. And I went from doing that literally just existing, just surviving, to a few months later, having the private chef business take off. Where now I'm strapping. now now, I had money to buy a motorcycle, and now I was able to put a backpack full of the freshest food I've ever seen in my life and drive up into the jungle and do private catering for tourists. And. And then I created just this, this subsistence for that, that that kept me, kept me going for three and a half years and and and and so yeah, that I think it would surprise people that, my, my ability to cook literally saved my life.

Adam 01:01:22 It's, it's, it's it's one of, one of the things that I'm most proud of that I hit the hardest rock bottom and, and my love of food and, and the appreciation of other people of my food, Yeah. Recreated me. It was fantastic.

Margaret 01:01:40 I love that, and I think that's a really good place to end this conversation. Except I would ask, where can people find you out in the world?

Adam 01:01:49 you know, directly, Adam at your chef.com. go to our website or. our socials. I think there's links, but, we are. Yeah, yeah. This is this is this is where where where my, my my online acumen is going to show itself. I believe we are. Why? See, chef.

Margaret 01:02:16 Face.

Margaret 01:02:17 Actually, I know that.

Adam 01:02:18 Okay. And on Instagram, which I just, I just received the login information for our Instagram. last week because we had somebody else running it, and, and so I now have that which we are. Why your see chef.

Margaret 01:02:37 Yes. On. That sounds correct. On Instagram. Yeah. and.

Adam 01:02:42 And other than that, like, we we want, we want to do, a bunch of exclusive dining things. especially for the fall. I have some, some great ideas for, for, menus and stuff, so. And I can travel. So if anybody in Ontario, I will stay within Ontario. If anybody in the, in Ontario wants to reach out and, and just have a chat about how we can do some fun food either. Do it. Do it through our website or get on. Bite me. Cannabis. Have I flogged this enough money? Get on, Bite Me.

Margaret 01:03:17 Cannabis Club.

Adam 01:03:18 And everybody can reach out and chat with us there.

Margaret 01:03:21 Too.

Margaret 01:03:22 That's awesome. And I'll be sure to put all those links in the show notes so people can find them easily and find you. Adam. And I just want to say thank you so much for your time today. It's been a real pleasure.

Adam 01:03:32 Yeah, the pleasure's all mine, I appreciate it.

Margaret 01:03:34 Friends, I hope you enjoyed that conversation as much as I did. I will link to where to find Adam and to dinners that he's hosting in the show notes. And if you were listening to this and you thought, hey, you know what? I know somebody who would really enjoy this conversation as well. What about your phone right now and share it with them? Because sharing is caring and help spreads the word of this show without my friends. I'm your host, Margaret. And until next time, stay high.

Adam 01:04:00 I even made notes.

Margaret 01:04:02 Perfect.

Margaret 01:04:03 It's just not.

Margaret 01:04:03 Well.

Margaret 01:04:04 Prepared. It does not me. It notes.

Margaret 01:04:06 Yeah. So.