Cannabis Cooking Certification Program

Learning Objectives: Upon completing the Intro Cannabis Basics and Cooking class, you will have the skills to describe the cannabis plant, including its origins and main classifications (indica, sativa, hybrid, ruderalis). You’ll also be able to explain the main components of cannabis and their effects, list common cannabis products, understand how to use them, and decipher product labels.

Lesson 1: What is Cannabis? – Cannabis, often known as marijuana, pot, weed, or ganja, has diverse uses both recreationally and medicinally. This lesson will uncover the origins of the cannabis plant and explain strains. You’ll also learn about its parts, seeds, and be introduced to the endocannabinoid system.

Lesson 2: Components of Cannabis – In this lesson, we explore the compounds in marijuana, including cannabinoids and terpenes, and how they interact with the human body. We’ll dive into terms like entourage effect, covering how cannabis and its components can influence anxiety, appetite, memory, and various health conditions.

Lesson 3: Cannabis Products – With the cannabis industry booming, understanding the wide range of products available in general, as well as in cannabis cooking, is essential. This lesson breaks down the differences between products, CBD:THC ratios, potency, and how to read product labels. You’ll also discover various consumption methods and the characteristics of high and low-quality cannabis products.

Learning Objectives: Upon completing the Cannabis Cooking Methods class, you will have the ability to explain various cannabis infusion techniques, both basic and advanced, using dried or fresh cannabis. You’ll gain skills in creating oil infusions and tinctures in home or commercial settings and selecting the most suitable method for your production needs. Additionally, you’ll be able to estimate the potency of infusions, manage the straining, filtering, and purging of solvents, and calculate dosages for cannabis-infused products. Lastly, you’ll be able to list the steps involved in making cannabis-infused items like edibles, beverages, capsules, and topical products, whether at home or in commercial environments.

Lesson 1: Preparing the Cannabis – Properly preparing cannabis for infusion greatly impacts the quality and potency of the final product. In this lesson, we dive into selecting suitable cannabis plant material, whether dried or fresh, and preparing it for infusion, including cleaning, removing unnecessary plant matter, and chopping.

Lesson 2: Cannabis Infusion – Once cannabis is properly prepared, it can be processed for various uses, such as infusing key components into oils, butters, and alcohol. This lesson covers essential topics like estimating potency for infusions, making cannabis oil, creating homemade ethanol marijuana tinctures, and even juicing fresh cannabis.

Lesson 3: Straining, Filtering, and Purging Cannabis – Proper technique is essential in cannabis infusion, including knowing how to strain, filter, and purge a product to remove contaminants while preserving its potency. We explore methods for straining and filtering cannabis tinctures and infusions, equipment choices, purging ethanol from tinctures, and safe storage for infused products.

Lesson 4: Cooking with Cannabis – Our experienced cannabis chefs guide you through estimating cannabis potency, dividing recipes into single-serving doses, and preparing various cannabis-infused products at home, from oils and butter to alcohol tinctures. We also cover cooking with cannabis extracts and concentrates, ensuring you have the skills needed for successful cannabis cooking.

Lesson 5: Cannabis Recipes – Explore a variety of cannabis recipes, from sweet edibles to savory dishes and even cannabis-infused topicals and beverages. Learn how to adjust serving sizes for desired potency, make refreshing cannabis beverages, create sweet treats like cookies and cakes, and prepare savory delights such as salads and entrees. Our CTU cannabis chefs share their expertise to help you craft an array of cannabis-infused culinary creations.

Learning Objectives: Upon completing the Cannabis Cooking Careers class, you’ll understand the requirements for working in the cannabis cooking industry, in a specific US state or Canadian province. You’ll also learn how to gain experience, find job openings, create effective cannabis cooking-industry resumes and cover letters, and navigate job interviews successfully. Additionally, you’ll gain insights into the roles, responsibilities, education, experience, advancement options, compensation, and skill requirements for cannabis cooking careers within commercial kitchens.

Lesson 1: Government Requirements For Cannabis Industry Workers – This lesson provides essential information about the requirements needed to begin a career in the cannabis cooking industry in the United States or Canada. It covers various topics, including age requirements, work permits, and legal regulations in different states, provinces, or territories.

Lesson 2: Cannabis Career Basics – In this lesson, you’ll learn the fundamentals of starting a career in the cannabis industry. Topics include where to find job opportunities, creating an effective resume and cover letter, utilizing online resources, networking, and gaining experience in the field.

Lesson 3: Cannabis Cooking Careers – Explore the world of cannabis cooking careers, with a focus on working in commercial kitchens. This lesson delves into the roles, responsibilities, education, experience, and opportunities available in the cannabis culinary industry, covering positions like kitchen employees, executive chefs, formulation chefs, and kitchen managers.

Learning Objectives: Upon completing the Cannabis Cooking Business class, you will gain the ability to check if cannabis cooking business license applications are open in a specific US or Canadian region, and understand the steps necessary to acquire such a license. You will also be able to list the challenges in the cannabis industry, create a comprehensive business plan and pitch deck, and grasp various aspects of cannabis cooking business operations like marketing, advertising, transportation, inventory management, insurance, and legal concerns. Additionally, you’ll develop a plan for establishing and managing a cannabis commercial kitchen or infused product manufacturing facility, covering financing, setup, property, construction, equipment, and wholesale sales.

Lesson 1: Government Requirements for Cannabis Businesses – This lesson guides you through the process of obtaining a special license to operate a cannabis business and explores the specific requirements for business applications in various legal regions across the United States and Canada. Topics covered include inventory tracking, licensing fees, and regulations from state to state and province to province, along with the unique challenges faced in the cannabis industry.

Lesson 2: Cannabis Business Basics – This lesson guides you through the process of obtaining a special license to operate a cannabis business and explores the specific requirements for business applications in various legal regions across the United States and Canada. Topics covered include inventory tracking, licensing fees, and regulations from state to state and province to province, along with the unique challenges faced in the cannabis industry.

Lesson 3: Cannabis Cooking Business – This lesson dives into the business of cooking with cannabis. It covers the challenges you might encounter, such as changing regulations and competition, and provides insights into writing a comprehensive business plan, pricing strategies, stages of business development, specialization, and intellectual property. Additionally, it covers marketing and sales tactics, financial aspects, the importance of pitch decks, advertising challenges, cannabis holidays, and inventory management.

Learning Objectives: After finishing the Intro to Cannabis Laws/Regulations and Cooking class, you’ll be able to explain the current federal cannabis policies in the United States and Canada. Additionally, you’ll have the skills to describe the legal boundaries for cannabis possession and cultivation in a chosen US. state and a Canadian province.

Lesson 1: Cannabis Laws in the United States – An introduction to adult use, medical, and recreational programs in each state. The lesson explores federal and state regulations, public support, legal interactions, court cases, federal laws, privacy concerns, firearms, the DEA, and details about medical and recreational programs. It also delves into the specifics of cannabis possession, distribution, manufacturing, cultivation, and trafficking.

Lesson 2: Cannabis Laws in Canada – An introduction to Canadian cannabis laws after nationwide legalization. This lesson focuses on the Cannabis Act, federal medical programs, Health Canada’s role, qualifying conditions, and federal laws regarding possession, public consumption, distribution, cultivation. It also covers the unique regulations in Canadian provinces and territories.

Handouts and resources can be downloaded:

1. Definitions: Cannabis Basics Terminology
2. Chart: Characteristics Of Cannabis Types
3. Chart: Effects Of Common Cannabinoids
4. Chart: Effects of Common Cannabis Terpenes
5. Chart: Effects Of Common Cannabinoids On Receptors
6. Chart: Entourage Effects
7. Chart: Cannabis Consumption Methods
8. Chart: Storage For Cannabis Products
9. Procedure: Dab Equipment And How To Dab
10. How To Become A Medical Cannabis Caregiver
11. Definitions: Cannabis Cooking And Extraction Terms
12. Information Sheet: Terpene and Cannabinoid Chemistry
13. Procedure: How to Make Bubble Hash
14. Procedure: How to Make Rosin At Home
15. Supplemental Reading List: Cannabis Cooking And Extraction
16. Sample: Cover Letter For Entry Level Grower
17. Sample: Resume For Entry Level Grower
18. Sample: Cover Letter For Dispensary Manager
19. Sample: Resume For Dispensary Manager
20. MS Word Template: Cover Letter Builder
21. MS Word Template: Resume Builder
22. Definitions: Cannabis Business Terms
23. Sample: Blunt Royale Business Plan
24. Sample: Blunt Royale Pitch Deck
25. Checklist: Cannabis Industry Business Plan
26. Checklist: Cannabis Industry Pitch Deck
27. How to Become a Cannabis Expert
28. How to Become a Marijuana Entrepreneur
29. Definitions: Cannabis Legal Terminology
30. How To Become A Cannabis Extraction Technician
31. Calculator: Cannabis Dry Weight Conversions
32. Supplemental Reading List: Cannabis Basics