Budtender by day, cannabis chef by night, Bob McGinn (who also goes by Budtender Bob) makes scrumptious infused dishes that he shares at The Pot Shop. Here, Bob tells us how he got into “weed” cooking, and his advice for budding chefs.
What was the moment you realized you wanted to be a chef?
I got into cooking because of my parents. They were always in the kitchen. My mother would always make dinner, and as me and my siblings got older, she became more adventurous and tried new dishes all the time. Sundays were the best. My Dad would get up before all of us and make “Big Breakfast”. French toast, hash browns, bacon, sausage, and fruit. And then Sunday night was “Sunday Surprise”. This is was when my Mom would make a dish we’ve never had before and we weren’t allowed to ask what was in it until we have a few bites. I thought that was the coolest thing ever.
How did you transition to cannabis cooking?
Well to be honest, it kind of fell in my lap. My best friend’s sister is the owner of the shop that I work at (The Pot Shop) and she wanted us to help her run the day to day. I told her that I can create content for the website by making infused recipes and put them on social media.
What is something you wish you had known before entering the cannabis industry?
I wish I knew more about cannabis in general. I thought I knew a lot but when I started working at the Pot Shop, I realized that I was not very knowledgeable at all. Now I am an “expert” but there is still things I’m learning about cannabis.
Any advice for any budding cannabis chefs out there?
First off, know how to cook. Be a good cook with regular food before you start messing with weed. Second, be ready to experiment/fail. Learn from your mistakes and build on that. I guarantee you will never make a weed infused dish just once, so make sure you have time to tweak the flavors and start all over because it’s going to happen.
Brandon Allen
