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When it comes to the thorny issue of legalizing marijuana, Netflix aren’t just on the pro-side, they’re out marching dressed as cannabis leaves while sparking up a fat doobie. From alternative history lesson Grass is Greener to tonally awkward sitcom Disjointed, much of their original programming seems like it’s been greenlit by Cheech and Chong.
The streaming giant even launched its own cannabis strains tying in with flagship shows such as Orange is the New Black (Poussey Riot for “kicking it with somebody, talking, making mad stupid jokes) and Arrested Development (“a big yellow joint” named Banana Stand Kush). And on what else but 4/20, they are now launching their second pot-based cooking competition. Yes, their second.
Co-hosted by Kelis – the R&B star/celebrity chef whose last album Food reads like a list of munchies (“Jerk Ribs,” “Biscuits N’ Gravy,” “Friday Fish Fry”) – Cooked with Cannabis sees three professional cooks attempt to win $10,00 by whipping up the tastiest weed-infused three-course meal.
If this already sounds all-too-familiar, then there’s a good reason. Just two years ago Netflix launched Cooking on High, a 15-minute culinary contest hosted by YouTuber Josh Leyva in which chefs served up their finest “dope dish.” And the prize? A golden pot, geddit?
The commissioning of Cooked with Cannabis may seem even more baffling considering its predecessor took a critical battering. The Washington Post described it as the worst food show on Netflix; many others agreed that far too much attention was spent on the Z-list celebs (Bella Thorne’s boyfriend, yet more YouTubers) judging the meal than the talented chefs (including a Chopped winner and Le Cordon Bleu graduate) making it. Few were shocked or saddened to see it get the axe after just a single season.
However, Netflix appear to have learned from their mistakes. The caliber of guest judges (24‘s Mary Lynn Rajskub, chat show queen Ricki Lake) may well help boost the mainstream appeal of a show centered on a still federally-illegal drug. Kelis is always a likeable screen presence and the expertise of Portland chef co-host Leather Storrs (yes, his real name) should provide some much-needed context to the food on offer.
In fact, Storrs insists that Cooked with Cannabis is “granular, educational, heartfelt and smart,” and “a show where weed is a seasoning rather than the reason.” If that’s the case then Netflix’s latest slacker-friendly venture may well give the drug’s first notable cookery series a run for its money.
Unsurprisingly, Viceland was responsible for this very niche milestone. The hipster’s choice of TV network had burst out of the gate in 2016 with docuseries such as Weediquette and Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia as well as Party Legends (animated tales of real-life celebrity drug trips). So the arrival of Bong Appétit later that same year seemed like a no-brainer.
Its concept was simple. Emerging chefs throw lavish themed dinner parties to prove that munchies have moved on significantly from the tried and tested hash brownie. Its recipes for everything from Canabutter Braised Beef Cheek to Cannabis Smoked Tuna were anything but. And yet the show became one of Viceland’s breakout hits, with its leisurely pace, hangout vibes and appetizing edibles even spawning a successful cookbook.
Perhaps sensing that there was only so much mileage in watching stoners getting baked on gourmet food, Viceland mixed things up for season three. Out went host Abdullah Saeed, the comedy writer with no qualms about over-indulging in front of the cameras. And in came Snoop Dogg’s rival as the hip-hop scene’s biggest weed advocate, Cypress Hill’s B-Real, an impressive guest list (George Clinton, Lykke Li, Wiz Khalifa) and a new competitive element. Despite the latter change, Bong Appétit: Cook Off still seemed more concerned with changing public perception of the drug than creating any high stakes tension.
Take one of its most memorable contestants, Josephine, for example, a sweet Italian-American nonna who’s more than happy to cook with cannabis for her son, despite the fact she’s never rolled a joint in her life. If that doesn’t help normalize the movement then what will?
And as medical marijuana dispensaries continued to pop up across America’s more progressive states, so did the number of shows advising how to best consume their various strains. In 2018, Amsterdam-based chefs Anthony Joseph and Noah Tucker took advantage of the city’s liberal drug laws once more for High Cuisine, a bite-size cookery show airing on the Netherlands’ streaming service, Videoland.
Taking the subject slightly less seriously, Funny or Die’s Munchies has invited everyone from Queer Eye‘s ‘Yass Queen’ Jonathan Van Ness to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend‘s triple threat Rachel Bloom to prepare their stoner snack of choice. And then there’s Pot Pie, the PROHBTD Media web series where chef Brandin LaShea cooks her influencer guests a cannabis-infused meal while also high on her own supply.
Of course, none of the major food networks are quite ready to go within inhaling distance of the concept yet. Don’t expect to see the Barefoot Contessa swapping her love of butter for the cannabis alternative any time soon, that’s for sure. So for now, Cooked with Cannabis looks like becoming its most respectable face. Whether you can enjoy it entirely sober remains to be seen.
Jon O’Brien (@jonobrien81) is a freelance entertainment and sports writer from the North West of England. His work has appeared in the likes of Esquire, Billboard, Paste, i-D, The Guardian, Vinyl Me Please and Allmusic.
