Cooking on high: 2018 review

Starring: Josh Leyva and guests
Directed by: Marcel Fuentes
Network: Netflix
Run Time: 2018 -

Cooking on High is the first ever competitive cannabis cooking show. Season 1 has aired on Netflix and is comprised of a total of 12 episodes. Each episode features a different theme that the chefs must adhere to, including afternoon delight, french fries, southern comfort, and wake n bake.

The chefs are introduced at the start of the show—individuals that range from amateur cooks to specialist cannabis chefs. Following this intro, a cannabis expert is introduced who unveils the strain of choice, along with its unique qualities.

The chefs have a limited amount of time to incorporate the cannabis into their chosen dish, which must be in line with the episode’s theme. Once the time is up, the food is served up to a small panel of judges who taste the dish and give feedback. The chefs explain their dish, commenting on the finer details.

The show isn’t just about the taste of the weed-infused dishes, but also the psychoactive effects they provide.After the judges have tasted the food, time is set aside in what is labelled as a “THC timeout”. This gives the weed some time to kick in.

Orally ingested THC is metabolized differently that smoked THC, so it takes a little longer to come on and is often more intense. Once the weed has kicked in, the judges give feedback about each dish, along with a score between 1–10.

THE GOOD

The show is very laid back. Everything from the cast to the interactions and production all seem very casual. This isn’t like watching an episode of MasterChef—not even the chefs themselves seem massively invested in winning or losing. It makes for very easy watching and is a good option when wanting to kick back and relax with a big joint, without much tension and drama.

The food is also certain to ramp up your appetite and get you preparing some interesting dishes. The results are often creative and look delicious. The chefs disguise the cannabis within superb-looking food, even concealing the weed taste entirely at times. The show is a great source of creative inspiration for people looking for cannabis-infused ideas in the kitchen.

The cannabis expert also grounds the show, offering details of how the cooking process changes the compounds, transforming raw cannabis into a psychoactive extraction.

The show also pays homage to the image of cannabis as a whole. It’s a great example to the public that cannabis isn’t just a smokable drug. The herb has its place in kitchens, from standard dishes all the way to high-level culinary delights.

THE BAD

Although the show is laid back, and that seems to be intentional, at times it’s a bit too chill and to be honest, quite boring. The point of the show is to put on a competitive challenge between 2 cannabis chefs.

However, a lot of the competitive tension is defused by constant joking and small talk. The competition itself isn’t taken very seriously either, with some judges turning up to the event high, possibly unable to give true feedback on the effects of the dishes.

It is obvious that consuming some weed yourself is far more entertaining than watching other people get high.

The judges of the show are a selection of entertainers from musicians to comedians, but probably nobody you have heard of. Although the judges do tend to give accurate and thoughtful feedback to dishes, their cannabis knowledge isn’t the most thorough. Furthermore, a lot of the attention and limelight is given to the judges, whilst the chefs are cooking away in the background.

IN CONCLUSION

In comparison with Disjointed, Netflix' previous poor attempt to tap the lucrative cannabis market, Cooking on High really isn’t all that bad. But it sure isn't that good either.

It certainly is casual, and might even provide some great ideas for cannabis chefs and amateur cooks out there. Although the show seems far too informal at times, it still offers a fun look at the possibilities surrounding cannabis cuisine and sure is good for a few laughs if you like obvious and corny marijuana puns.