Let’s be honest, a good portion of our hobbies and entertainment over the passed year have consisted of the three C’s: cooking, crime, and cannabis.
C1: Cooking competitions like Nailed It! and Cutthroat Kitchen have brought out the culinary competitors in all of us. I often find myself screaming at the television, knowing very well that I would fail miserably in their position.
C2: When it comes to true crime, it’s no secret that the genre has blown through the roof as of late. From podcasts, shows, movies, and books, there are a million ways to entertain the amateur sleuths in all of us.
C3: And last but not least, the steady legalization of cannabis across the US has slowly made recreational use less taboo and more accepted. Dispensaries and marijuana-infused restaurants are popping up more frequently, and we are moving in the right direction!
Entertainment experts understand the appeal of food and cooking shows, especially during a time like this. Whether you’re watching to learn something or just have it on in the background, you can rest easy knowing there’s always going to be a happy ending. But networks know they have to shake things up every once in a while, because why is their cooking show any better than the next guy’s? Well, why not bring in those other two C’s?
The perfect show for us detectives who love a good snack after a long day of investigating. Being called a ‘culinary guessing game,’ contestants must examine a kitchen crime scene of crumb trails and crusty mixers to determine what type of dessert was made. They will then recreate their recipe to be judged on how closely they matched the missing treat, and of course how it tastes. Funny-man Joel McHale will host the FOX show, and judge seats will be owned by chef Curtin Stone and cake artist Yolanda Gampp. Known as one of Australia’s most well-known celebrity chefs, Stone is no stranger to the culinary television world – appearing in an array of shows and competitions. As for Gampp, while she was a member of Food Network‘s Sugar Stars, she is better known on the smaller screen – the computer screen. Deemed the “Beyonce of Cakes,” Gampp runs a successful digital web show called How to Cake It – where she showcases incredible designs and baking tutorials. These three forces together on screen are bound to bring the laughs and harsh critiques. Rob Wade, President of Alternative Entertainment and Specials at FOX Entertainment says, “Crime Scene Kitchen is unlike any cooking show out there. It’s truly original format with amazing baking creations, a brilliant play-along guessing game for the whole family, and Joel at the center of it all bringing hilarity at every turn. Just’ don’t watch if you’re feeling hungry!” Get your apron and magnifying glass ready for the May 26 premier.
Our favorite cooking competition is back and this time, cannabis is the not-so-secret ingredient. The limited series will be a first in Chopped history as guests will use cannabis to enhance their dishes in hopes of avoiding being put on the chopping block. The Discovery+ press release states how each episode will feature “four budding cannabis chefs who are challenged to create tasty and mind warping dishes through three rounds – appetizer, entrée, and dessert – from a mystery basket of ingredients…Besides scouring the Chopped pantry for ingredients, each competitor must also navigate the Chopped green house for cannabis or CBD-infused products to incorporate into their dishes. See what competitors can impress the judges with a severe case of the munchies and make their fellow competitors green with envy.” The show will be hosted by actor, comedian, and marijuana connoisseur, Ron Funches. In an interview with High Times Magazine last year, Funches explained the role of marijuana in his everyday life; “For creativity, if I want to have a night where I stay up listening to music, I’ll throw on some instrumentals and I’ll smoke a bit and try to come up with some jokes. Or if I’m stressed after a long day on set, [weed] is really great.” I’m sure these competitors know all about high levels of creativity when they’re lighting up the kitchen. Premiering this month on every green thumb’s favorite holiday, 4/20, all five episodes will be available to stream at once.
Here are some other cannabis cooking shows to catch up on in the meantime:
Bong Appetit (Viceland and Hulu):
Follow host and creator Abdullah Saeed and his fine dining chefs as they throw elegant cannabis dinner parties for their guests. The kitchen where they create their marijuana-infused delicacies is elaborate and said to contain, “the biggest selection of marijuana ingredients ever assembled.”
Cooked with Cannabis (Netflix):
Tune in for another culinary competition as “Chefs compete to get the hosts and special guests high on elevated cannabis cuisine with their use of leafy herb, THC infusions, and CBD sauces.”
