Aaron May Is The Latest Celebrity Chef To Embrace The Cannabis Industry

Whether it be from his appearances on Food Network shows like "Guy's Grocery Games" or as the personal chef for the TikTok famous D'Amelio family (via Delish), Aaron May is known for his ability to get creative in the kitchen. After all, making a seafood paella that can satisfy a picky teen celebrity isn't a task for the uninspired, and neither is coming up with recipes that continue to impress the mayor of Flavortown time and time again.

In true Aaron May fashion, the chef has decided to bring his creative talents to the world of cannabis-infused cooking. According to a press release, May is officially teaming up with LastLeaf, the cannabis food product line launched by fellow celebrity chef and James Beard Award winner Todd English. May will work alongside English and a team of chefs to create a variety of cannabis-infused recipes and food items designed to elevate the experience of both eating gourmet food and consuming cannabis.

Aaron May and Todd English are just two of many high profile chefs that are publicly embracing cannabis cooking. According to We Are Chefs, this popularity comes from changing marijuana laws in the U.S., or more specifically the legalization of its recreational use. Though edibles are most associated snack foods like with gummies and brownies, a survey conducted in 2019 by the National Restaurant Association concluded that cannabis cooking is on its way to becoming a new sector in the restaurant industry. In fact, cannabis-infused beverages and cannabis-infused foods were among the associations top predictions of culinary trends to come (via YouTube).

Since then, the trend has continued to grow, marked by cooking shows like "Bong Appétit" on Vice, "Cooked with Cannabis" and "Cooking on High" on Netflix, and, most recently, a "Chopped" spin-off called "Chopped 420," which will stream on Discovery+ (via Celebstoner). Not only does cannabis cooking have the stamp of approval from some big names in the culinary industry, it has also managed to make its way to the Food Network (though it probably won't be airing on the channel anytime soon).

That's as good of an indicator as any that cannabis brands like LastLeaf will have plenty of customers.