The Bluntness Kitchen uncorks cannabis’s best-kept culinary secrets, bringing pro tips and tricks from the industry’s master chefs straight to your inbox – all centered around a fast-growing community-based online platform.
Whether you’re passionate about food, weed, or both, The Bluntness Kitchen will add value to your budding interest in the form of exclusive recipes, infusion dos and don’ts, the fascinating history behind each Bluntness Kitchen Chef, and much more.
This profile series delves into the backgrounds of our featured master chefs one by one – like Chef Phil Frederick, a former dairy farm gardener who created the infused flavoring oil brand Kush Kitchen.
Interested in learning more about his esteemed transition from an Illinois farm to cannabis cooking excellence? Keep reading.
Chef Phil Frederick: Line Cook Origins, Kush Kitchen Tinctures, and a Consistent Affinity for Pimenton
Frederick was born on a small dairy farm in northwestern Illinois, where his pursuit of the culinary arts first began. Through gardening and caring for his family’s animals, Frederick learned how to grow and source his own ingredients – and this earned knowledge sparked a passion he couldn’t help but explore deeper.
“Having grown up on the dairy farm, I learned early on that I loved ‘getting my hands dirty’ and seeing what culinary creations I could make using only what was sourced from our land,” Frederick said.
“Since then, I have spent the past 30 years honing my skills, working at some of the best restaurants in the country and perfecting cuisines from all over the world.”
Chef Phil’s Kitchen Cooking Essentials: “Sharp knives and a lack of clutter – a.k.a., unnecessary gadgetry like strawberry cutters or avocado spoons.”
Frederick began his official culinary career as a line cook at Wolfgang Puck’s Grande Café in Evanston, Illinois, where he initially honed his skills – and learned to opt for less clutter in the kitchen.
He then went on to work at Evanston’s Prairie Moon, where he earned the title of sous chef before moving to Chicago to study under James Beard award-winning chef Gabino Sotelino and culinary entrepreneur Susan Weaver.
This is when Frederick believes his career really blossomed: he became executive sous-chef at various locations of Mon Ami Gabi and Ba Ba Reeba!, adding to his toolbox of culinary skills as he inched closer and closer to cannabis-infused cooking.
Chef Phil’s Favorite Recipes: “I opt for Spanish and French cuisine, based on my training and experience. I tend to prefer simpler dishes with a seasonal focus.”
As Frederick got older, pursuing the highly-active and demanding career of a chef became increasingly difficult. He developed some chronic health conditions that resulted in trouble sleeping, persistent pain, and anxiety. Like so many others, he needed relief.
And then, he discovered the plant.
“Within two years, I went from being unable to walk to running 10k charity races. Cannabis-infused cooking has not only helped me deal with pain, but I get to meet and cook with incredible people in a rapidly evolving and unchartered industry, making new and wonderful things possible all the time.”
Soon after entering the realm of cannabis cooking, Frederick made a major and risky career change, taking on the role of executive chef for cannabis company Acronym Investment with the goal of destigmatizing the industry through unique, unforgettable culinary experiences that provide as much excitement to consumers as they do legitimate relief.
One Thing Chef Phil Wants People to Know About Cooking With Cannabis: “Cannabis provides a myriad of solutions to common ailments.”
Frederick’s personal experience with cannabis’s healing properties was enough to fuel his pursuit of a career in the field, and he intends to continue honing his new infused cooking skills while bringing his hard-earned culinary expertise to the cannabis table.
Another thing he continues to incorporate into his cooking is his humility, which was initially instilled in him during his dairy farm origins and unforgettably reinforced during his experience with Chef Weaver.
Chef Phil’s Biggest Learning Moment: “I’ll never forget watching Susan Weaver call around with her contacts one day to find the best recipe for fried chicken. Through that single act, she gave me the gift of her humility. I never heard her claim to be the best at anything, but she always knew where to look to find the best technique.”
Frederick’s latest cannabis-infused culinary initiative is Kush Kitchen: a line of infused tinctures designed to elevate everything edible for consumers.
The chef aims to bring his wealth of culinary knowledge and expertise to the brand, introducing taste, ambition, and having fun with food in the cannabis scene.
What’s Next for Chef Phil and Kush Kitchen: “We have an international collaboration coming up, which will allow for a full-scale export of our cannabis products on a global scale. We’re really excited about that.”
To stay up to date on Frederick’s latest ventures, follow him on LinkedIn.
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