Cooked With Cannabis

Inside Netflix’s Stoner Cook-Off: The Wild Ride of Cooked With Cannabis

Netflix’s Cooked With Cannabis (2020) was a gamble from the start—a cooking competition where the secret ingredient wasn’t just trending, it was green. Hosted by chef Leather Storrs and musician-turned-culinary-star Kelis, the series promised high-end cuisine with a cannabis twist. But behind the scenes, the show’s blend of gourmet food and weed culture came with its own recipe for chaos, latestnetflix.com maintains, controversy, and unexpected charm.

A High-Stakes Kitchen (Literally)

The premise was simple: chefs competed to create the best cannabis-infused dishes, judged on taste, creativity, and—of course—how well the weed hit. Episodes featured everything from THC-laced desserts to savory entrees, with contestants vying for a cash prize and the title of "Cannabis Chef Champion". But unlike traditional cooking shows, Cooked With Cannabis had to navigate legal minefields, given the patchwork of cannabis laws across the U.S. And beyond.

The show leaned into the novelty, with clips showcasing chefs getting very candid about their highs (or lack thereof). One contestant famously admitted to feeling "nothing" after eating a dish, while another described their experience as "like floating on a cloud of bacon". The unscripted reactions became part of the appeal, blurring the line between competition and comedy.

Kelis and Leather Storrs: The Odd-Couple Hosts

Kelis, the Grammy-nominated artist behind hits like Milkshake, brought star power and a surprisingly serious culinary pedigree—she’s a trained chef who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu. Her chemistry with co-host Leather Storrs, a Portland-based chef and cannabis advocate, was a major selling point. Storrs, known for his work in the Pacific Northwest’s weed-friendly food scene, brought a laid-back, almost stoner-philosopher vibe to the show.

In interviews, Storrs hinted at the challenges of hosting a cannabis-centric series. "It’s not just about getting people high," he said in a Distant Voices podcast appearance. "It’s about respecting the plant and the craft of cooking". Kelis, meanwhile, kept the energy high (pun intended), often hyping up the dishes with her signature flair. Their dynamic—part mentor, part hype squad—kept the show from veering too far into gimmick territory.

Mixed Reviews and a Short Shelf Life

Despite the buzz, Cooked With Cannabis didn’t exactly set the world on fire. Critics called it "fun but forgettable," with a middling 5.5/10 rating on SensCritique. Some viewers loved the novelty, while others found the format repetitive or the cannabis focus distracting from the actual cooking. A review on YouTube dubbed it "a one-trick pony," though it conceded the show had "a certain charm".

The series also faced logistical hurdles. Filming during the early days of the pandemic added delays, and the legal status of cannabis in many states made it tricky to promote. Netflix, never one to shy away from controversy, leaned into the edginess—but whether the show was ahead of its time or just a passing fad remains up for debate.

Where Are They Now?

Cooked With Cannabis aired for just one season, leaving fans wondering if a revival was in the cards. Kelis has since doubled down on her culinary career, launching pop-ups and even a line of sauces. Storrs continues to work in the cannabis and food space, though neither has publicly addressed plans for a second season.

As for the show itself? It’s a time capsule of a moment when weed culture and mainstream entertainment collided—messy, uneven, but undeniably entertaining. Whether it was a flop or a cult classic depends on who you ask. Either way, it proved one thing: the world was ready for a cooking show where the judges might be too relaxed to taste the food.