“Bite into a healthy serving of chill.” That’s the headline accompanying the latest installment in a series of culinary events sweeping the country. Philadelphia is the first stop. “Cooking with CBD,” is a two hour industry event boasting a steady flow of interviews, panel discussions, keynotes, and — oh yes! — even interactive demonstrations from powerhouses throughout the industry – the cannabis industry, that is.
For the most part, the May 13th event puts LA-based chef Christopher Sayegh in the hot seat. You may recognize the name from features across FOX Business, NBC News, Fast Company, Newsweek, and The Washington Post. Chris is an unparalleled talent in the art of cannabis-infused cooking and has held countless primetime guest spots showing off his signature trade — like that time he made a private audience drool over preparations as a guest chef on VICE’s Bong Appetit.
“For me, when cooking with cannabis, whether that’s the full spectrum of the plant’s benefits or just the cannabinoid extracts like we’ll be using in this event [CBD], it’s really a whole body experience,” says Sayegh, “And CBD-prepared meals, with its non-hallucinogen relaxation effects, makes for a really delicious, uniquely nourishing moment. I was immediately intrigued when the FOUR20 Report events team came to me with this idea, I said, “A cannabis cooking course in a non-recreational market? Are they crazy?” but this CBD concept is such a great start for a progressive city like Philly. It’s a great way for restaurant owners and chefs to get started and creatively capitalize on such a booming market.”
Ex-NHL and NFL players Riley Cote (of the Philadelphia Flyers) and Todd Herremans (of the Philadelphia Eagles) will also be in attendance speaking to their experience with CBD and how “dabbling” has lead them into cooperatively chasing their own entrepreneurial pursuit, with their popular BodyChek Wellness brand, currently all-the-rave among the Philadelphia sports scene. “Our whole company is about looking in a different direction; a different direction than big pharma; a different direction than non-organic relief aids. And that’s really what motivated the conceptualization of the BodyChek Wellness line, two years ago, and that’s what motivates every one of our partnerships,” says Riley, simply, “Cooking with CBD is totally in line with who we are and what we stand for and, frankly, an educational opportunity that the Philly food scene has never had before. Something totally, organically different. There are a lot of questions out there and we’re excited and honored to be a part of the team bringing some answers to the table.”
Following the main afternoon event, VIP ticket holders will join each other (and Chris) at a very special dining table—in a very special, not-yet-revealed location. (Though the agency can confirm it’ll be somewhere within the central business district of Philadelphia and “transportation won’t be an issue.”) There, this first of its kind epicurean presentation will bring to life a number of Chef Chris’ most coveted concoctions in a six course tasting menu compiled of locally-sourced ingredients, complementing the spring season in Philly.
Sadly, there will be no marijuana (aka, “bud” or “flower” as they say) on deck the afternoon of the event. This installment of the Cooking series presented by the budding FOUR20 Creative Collective features only CBD-infused items due to the still not-so-friendly state-wide prohibition on recreational cannabis use. “Other, non-restrictive, cities are in the works though,” dually confirm Eric Michael, President of FOUR20 Creative Collective, and Beth Lawrence, Director of Consumer Marketing & Events for the group, “Some would see Pennsylvania’s prohibitive laws as totally out of the question, but we just saw it as another opportunity to enhance one of the most popular industries in the always sunny city. Reminding the rest of the country, once again you can never count us out.”
Cooking with CBD will be hosted on May 13, 2019 in the collaborative Warehouse on Watts at 923 N Watts St, Philadelphia, PA 19123. Tickets for the main event – 1PM to 3PM that afternoon – start at $189 with content focused on revolutionizing the menus and mastering the craft of local restaurateurs and/or their creative culinary counterparts (aka: chefs). But, space is limited – especially for those hoping to score a seat at the VIP dinner table. Only fifteen of those VIP passes are up for grabs. To learn more or purchase your tickets, visit FOUR20Report.com/cooking and use promo code ‘PRESALE’ at checkout for $50 off your order between now and April 26th.
