Canna Chef Chase

The Canna Chef Foods brand was founded by Matthew R. Chase, also known as Canna Chef Chase, in San Francisco. Canna Chef Foods is the oldest known spice infusing brand on the market having started his blends in 2000. Cannabis spice infusions require a ton of dedication and effort to be done properly and keep the dosage consistent. Canna Chef Chase took on the challenge out of sheer passion to find the right spices, the best method of infusing, and creating a particular bond to prevent separation and clumping. In addition, he understood the importance of consistent dosage, which is notoriously difficult to achieve and maintain.  

After concocting his first kief infused BBQ seasoning back in 1990 with no formal knowledge of infusions, Canna Chef Chase realized that he misjudged the dosage, after it was too late. Anyone who has tried an edible without knowing the proper dose can attest to the uncomfortable feeling that comes with being way too high. One could compare it to getting on a train and then realizing you got on the wrong one after it’s already left the station. You’re going for the ride, whether you like it or not. After learning the hard way what an improperly dosed infusion can do, Canna Chef Chase took the time to learn how to calculate THC mg for his infusions. Aside from the wealth of knowledge that was passed down to him by his father, an experienced chef, he also made the choice to go to culinary school to further refine his cooking skills to be able to cook with cannabis. Then, he began a long trial and error process to combine CBD and THC into his spices at consistent dosages, which also wouldn’t cause any clumping.  Having been cultivating cannabis since he was 15 years old, Canna Chef Chase’s whole life has been intimately intertwined with the once taboo herb. He even spent time in state prison because of the plant. It was there that he picked up another passion, tattooing. He later opened his own shop, Chase n’ Ink Tattoos in San Rafael CA, all the while dazzling locals, clients, and friends with his cannabis infused BBQ at private events. 

He officially founded Canna Chef Foods in 2015 for his own personal use on culinary shows that he worked on, such as Netflix’s ‘Cooked with Cannabis’. He took all the cooking knowledge learned from the street, and refined it with his formal training, to create the product you see today. Quality is the foremost thought in everything with Canna Chef Foods. This is a product that Canna Chef Chase created for himself to use daily. He emphasizes, “I refuse to put a sub-par product in my body, and let alone share it with everyone I love. I truly care about our health and it’s personally important to only consume the best product that can be made!” Each product that Canna Chef Foods offers was designed to fill a different need within the culinary process. 

Garlic and Onion are a staple in almost any cooking, whereas Ancho Pepper is geared to Latin and Mexican foods. The Sweet mesquite is the BBQ spice that takes any pit cooking to the next level. The Garlic seasoning is the most versatile product, while the infused finishing Olive Oil is one of the top sellers of the product line. Canna Chef Foods offers both CBD-only infused spices, as well as THC and CBD infusions.  “Quality first! Profits will always come once everyone knows your product.” –Chase, Founder of Canna Chef Foods These products were made to empower the home chef to be the best they can, that’s why the brand focus is on knowledge and the highest possible quality ingredients to make every dish a hit. The Canna Chef Foods logo says firmly; quality is the most important aspect to the spices, which includes a proper CBD/THC infusion. 

Canna Chef Chase recollects, “I’ve been drawing the same logo since Novato HS.  I was even kicked out of school for bringing infused cookies with a similar logo hand drawn on every bag. That was my hustle at school, cooking with cannabis.”  This summer, Canna Chef Chase will be out on the road introducing the products to smoke shops and dispensaries all over the U.S., with a goal to provide his cooking skills to locations that want to host an event for their patrons. This will give their customers a chance to try the spices and fall in love with them. Every event is special to Canna Chef Chase, because infused cooking is his passion. In his own words, “I put my heart into everything I do, and I love to see and hear how my clients love the spices.” 

Retailers can expect to see big things coming from Canna Chef Foods in the near future, as a big investment into their infrastructure will afford them the ability to provide a complete spice set, that’ll also include a handmade CBD infused soap bar in the box set, because keeping clean while cooking is an equally important part of the process. Their goal as a company is to give the tools to both home and professional chefs to safely infuse any meal. You can bet on seeing Canna Chef Chase at Champs Trade Show in Las Vegas, or check out his website at www.cannacheffoods.com where you can purchase the full line of spices or let the Canna Chef show you how to cook your own delicious meals through his online cooking classes. 

by:  Jesaka Patience

Writer for Wholesale Magazine - Representative