How and where to attend cannabis-infused dinners (and a cooking class) in Los Angeles

There are more reasons than ever for Angelenos to explore marijuana. In November, California passed Proposition 64, which legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults, and the sale of recreational marijuana in retail locations in 2018. While most are more familiar with smoking marijuana, some like to eat cannabis as well.

Recently, eating cannabis has evolved beyond brownies and gummy bears, into tasting menus. Enter the pop-up dinner party. It is in these temporary spaces that chefs are not only infusing but also accentuating and pairing food with weed — even down to the strain of the plant. These chefs are using tinctures, oils, butters and terpenes (aromatic cannabis agents extracted via vaporization). Diners are provided a certain dosage, typically 50 mg, designed to give people a desired high and allow them to be sated over a two- to three-hour meal. The pop-up dinners take place on private property, with waiver signage, pre-event ticketing and on-site marijuana card verification.

Here are some upcoming, multi-course cannabis dinners, plus a cooking class:

PopCultivate dinners by chef Chris Yang

Scientist-turned-chef Chris Yang has utilized the fruits of his former occupation to operate his ongoing cannabis dinner parties. Yang typically holds the parties the last Saturday of the month in the Arts District. The five to six courses will run you $100, plus a small ticketing charge per person. If you choose to smoke to further enhance your dinner, you can do that as well in the nearby outdoor lounge area. Every other course is infused with cannabis, with a seasonal theme woven through the meal. The target dosage of cannabis for the entire meal is 50 mg. Bring your own booze and show your marijuana card on arrival. Tickets can be purchased on the PopCultivate website. Exact location is given at the time of purchase. The next dinner is 7 p.m. Feb. 25. www.popcultivate.com or email [email protected].

Elevation VIP Cooperative dinners by chef Andrea Drummer

Andrea Drummer has been cooking cannabis dinners since 2012 under a dispensary license. The events occur at a different venue each time, and the multi-course themes tend to be thought provoking and sometimes political. Drummer pays special attention to the weed strains, pairing them with food through infusing butters, oils, terpenes and more. Every course is an organic cannabis dosage of 5 to 15 mg with four courses totaling 50 mg. The dinner runs $200 or more per person with the option to BYOB. You can also book customizable Elevation dinners as private events, available with pairings and the option of more courses. To attend one of the tentatively twice-monthly dinners or to book your own event, email your request to receive a personal invitation. www.elevationvip.com or email [email protected].

The Gathering by Sevan Abdessian and Kris Morningstar

Chefs Sevan Abdessian and Kris Morningstar, both Patina alums, are launching a series of cannabis pop-up dinners. The first is a five-course Middle Eastern meal. Seating is communal and limited to 24 guests, and every course is infused with cannabis (the collective dosage of the meal will be no more than 55 mg.) All five courses are paired with wine as well as cannabis. Dinner is $250 per person. Menu highlights include Aleppo pepper-crusted hamachi with pot ponzu and dry-aged duck breast with pistachio-sativa puree. The first dinner is at 7:30 p.m. Monday. The second date of the ongoing pop-up will be announced during the first dinner. 51 Tavern, 5022 York Blvd, Highland Park. Email [email protected].

Oh Man! pop-up cannabis dinner by Luke Reyes

There’s nothing like an underground, streetwear collaborative pop-up cannabis dinner to re-introduce your Japanese concept to the city. After leaving Butchers & Barbers, Luke Reyes competed on the forthcoming, first-ever cannabis cooking show “Cooking High.” He’s also planning on opening a location of Oh Man!, a ramen restaurant, in downtown L.A. Pre-paid tickets to his cannabis dinners are $100 per person and include the meal as well as a collaborative NSFW World T-shirt. You also have the option of adding unlimited Sapporo beer for $20. Menu items include sashimi, ramen and gyoza. Each course will include some element of cannabis: CBD oil, flowers or infused oils. The first dinner will take place March 11 at a secret location. A ticket link will be available next week via Reyes’ and NSFW World’s social media accounts. There will be aparty after the dinner as well. The location of the dinner will be available when you purchase your ticket. Follow @_luke_reyes on Instagram and Twitter and @NSFW_World on Twitter for the ticket release.

The Herbal Chef by Christopher Sayegh

Available by private booking, Christopher Sayegh, known as the Herbal Chef, is based in Los Angeles but able to travel anywhere to cater your private event, so long as you pay for his travel costs. The number of courses is customizable to your event, which will cost upward of $200 per person. Wine pairings are available as well. Each guest is required to join Sayegh’s weed collective, which provides the cannabis used to infuse each course. Guests are also given a questionnaire to complete to help the chef prepare for dietary restrictions. If you’re not able to throw your own event, however, you only need to wait until the end of the year for Sayegh to open Herb, his cannabis tasting menu restaurant in Santa Monica. The restaurant will offer three-, five- and 10-course seaonsal menus with a Middle Eastern bent, packaged with rideshares and even hotel stays. theherbalchef.com or email [email protected].

Cooking with cannabis class by Chicks With Knives

Perhaps you prefer to dine in, for which a cannabis cooking class could come in handy. This very popular BYOW (bring your own weed) class by Rachael Narins and Sarah Penton’s female chef collective, Chicks With Knives, takes place in Highland Park approximately every other month. The Chicks discuss how to pair flavors, how to make infusions, how to control the dosage and how to make four recipes. This hands-on class also lets you take home what you make, for the ultimate doggy bag. Classes cost $125 per person and last three hours. Their next class will take place March 18. A vegan cooking with cannabis class is offered twice per year. To find out more, sign up for their mailing list. 1200 N. Ave. 54, Los Angeles, chickswithknives.com or email [email protected].

[email protected]

@latimesfood

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