Cannabis infused dining; Really! Welcome to The Heightened Chef Episode 603

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

I took a deep breath before I took that first bite. If you dine out a lot, you know that how a dish looks and smells affects how it tastes. 90% of your taste sensations are influenced by aroma, so an appealing plate of food will have a variety of appealing colours and shapes, it is balanced, and it is easy to identify the subtle traces of different tastes in a balanced dish.

All I can say is….

Heaven!

I really didn’t know what to expect when I was invited to The Heightened Chef, Southern Creole Cuisine night. It was a long drive east, and I had purposely not eaten very much that day, so by the time I arrived at the event, my stomach was talking to me.

When I walked in, the air was light with chatter, and I saw a long line up at a bar (no alcohol, only cannabis infused drinks). I quickly found the host Sean Seurattan. He was speaking to one of the guest speakers that night, but when he saw me he got up to greet me.

“Welcome to The Heightened Chef Episode 603: The Heightened Bourgeois,” Sean told me with a huge smile on his face. “You missed the amuse-bouche, but we have four great courses to come.”

Excitedly, I found a seat and waited for the festivities to begin.

Let’s take this back a little bit and give you some background on exactly what The Heightened Chef infused dinner series is. It was created by a couple of friends from high school who reunited through a passion for food and for cannabis. It was around 2017, and they sensed that there was going to be an emerging cannabis market, and a need for a unique infused dining experience.

So they set out to create something brand new. Their dining experiences have now become the standard by which all other dining experiences are measured. What they have done has inspired many to begin their own journey within the cannabis industry.

Over the last three and a half years, they have served thousands of guests, and this has allowed them to fine tune and perfect the specialized dining experience. It was a wonderful evening filled with fine dining, music, education, laughter and cannabis consumption, with a focus on cannabis culture.

I had snuck a peak at their website (http://theheightenedchef.com/), and when I saw some of their past dishes, I was fascinated by the menu line up:

Shrimp Taco

Cajun sautéed shrimp, balsamic coleslaw, guacamole, scotch bonnet/cilantro cream

Mushroom Risotto

Roasted red pepper and smoked cheddar, parmesan crisp

Caribbean Spring Roll

Jerk chicken, bean sprouts, mango/thyme coulis

Asparagus FireCracker

Phyllo wrapped asparagus, infused herb/spicy cream cheese, prosciutto

Yum!

I couldn’t wait to see what the menu was for the night, and believe me; I was not disappointed. Before I get to the night’s menu, I want to share with you the dialogue I had with Sean about the experience, and what it has been like for him.

“When I said we were taking Bourgeois back, Simone, I meant it. We are fancy,” Sean began.

‘I am sorry that I was not able to speak to you during the event; I am usually wearing a million hats. As you notice, everyone seemed to know each other. We are tighter than seven degrees of separation; we are one degree of separation. It is very inclusive. You have to know one of us personally. It adds to a level of safety. You are a friend of a friend. I notice that people act right because they are being held accountable. Once you attend the event, you become an ambassador for the Heightened Chef. The word spreads and this is how you grow.

We eliminate problems before they start; trust me when I say it has been a learning experience. We created this from scratch, and we decided early that everything we do has to be on a level. We are innovators.”

This was the third one back from the pandemic, so I asked Sean how he felt doing them in person again.

“It went from not being able to breathe underwater, to getting that gulp of fresh air. Being able to stand up and speak in front of my peers, it was like getting a power up, you remember Mario Brothers,” he said laughing.

“I still get nervous before I do this event. It is because I care. Things come up, and I have to adjust. The nervousness keeps me on my toes.”

I really appreciated how the team took time to educate guests on cannabis edible expectations. I made sure to compliment Sean for it.

“That is a key part of our philosophy. We want to create a communal vibe. Ganja connects people on a social level. It is always a good time even if you are sitting down with people who you don’t know.”

After the introduction and some light banter, the food serving began, and I finally got a chance to experience the menu for the night:

Course 1:

Louisiana Shrimp dip infused

It was cheesy, garlicky, and full of Cajun seasoning, with flatbread for dipping. I quickly saw why it was a Southern favourite.

Course 2:

Pulled Pork Cornbread cups

Wow! A combination of two southern staples in one bite infused with Cajun barbeque sauce.

Course 3:

Blackened Chicken Supreme

Chicken stuffed with caramelized onion, bell pepper and celery with creole tomato orzo and southern potato salad, infused white peppercorn gravy.

Finally,

Course 4:

Red Velvet Brownie with infused banana creme anglaise and peach compote.

At the end of the night we were introduced to Chef Alfred Patricio who assisted in putting together a fantastic menu.

“I am creative,” Sean tells me, “And he takes care of the application. He is able to execute. He acts like a tether to me. I am the one in the front talking, and he is in the back making the magic happen.”

At the end of the night, they chose the people’s champion, which was the crowd’s favourite dish. The winner; Course 2, Pulled Pork Cornbread Cups.

I loved the fact that while we were dining, the hosts were interviewing guests.

“We get guests from different career genres. I mix it up. We have authors sometimes, motivational speakers other times. My goal is to have our guests leave higher (pun intended), then when they came. You leave better than how you came. You have learned something, elevated your evening.”

It was so good that I am attending the May 28^th, 2022 Natural Mystic Caribbean Menu, and I am beyond excited. The Heightened Chef is truly your premier destination for cannabis infused dining.