August 18, 2020
Meet The Black Chef Who Opened The First Cannabis-Infused Cafe In The Country
The cannabis industry generates billions of dollars in revenue each year as more and more states look to legalize it within the next year.
The new legalization of the industry has also introduced a slew of business and job opportunities for those looking to gain more experience within the field. One woman decided to use her love of cooking to create the first weed-infused cafe in Los Angeles.
Chef Andrea Drummer, a South Florida native, originally thought of her business as a farm-to-table restaurant. Later, she decided to pair meals with different weed strains.
“It was four years ago; I was executive producing a project with Spotify called, the Breaking Bread series. They would compile a group of characters to sit around a table and consume a four- to six-course [cannabis-infused] menu that I would prepare for them. I noticed that a lot of them were all industry guys, and had very high tolerance,” she explained in an interview with XONecole.
“I wanted to find a product that aligned with the brand that I was putting forth, and provide the cannabis as well, so we found Lowell (a popular cannabis farm and brand). And it was a match made in heaven: the branding, the product, their care for the product, their attention to detail. I completely fell in love with the brand and they were excited to be able to provide products for me for my dinners.”
Drummer hopes that the visibility of the cafe can elevate other women and people of color like her within the cannabis industry looking to make a change from within. “When I’ve done all that I can do, I would hope that I am able to impact generational wealth for Black and brown communities,” she continued.
“Being named an industry pioneer, challenging perception of the face of consumption, and being a partner of the first cannabis cafe in the U.S., all equate to those polarizing monikers that, at the end of the day, I hope will serve as stepping stones to that end goal.”