Early Life and Culinary Foundations
Chef Monica Lo grew up in a household where every meal was prepared from scratch. Spending time alongside her mother, she learned the basics of mise en place and the art of pleating dumplings, experiences that planted the seed for a lifelong passion for food.
Her Taiwanese and Chinese heritage shaped her palate, instilling an appreciation for bold flavors, aromatic herbs, and the careful balance of textures that later became hallmarks of her cooking style.
From Injury to Cannabis Exploration
After earning a background in advertising and design, Lo transitioned into food styling and photography while living in New York. She later moved to San Francisco, where she began hosting pop‑up dinners that showcased her creative approach to plating and flavor pairing.
In 2015, a herniated spinal disk led to a prescription of opioids and acetaminophen. The medications caused severe stomach upset, prompting Lo to seek alternative relief. She tried a cannabis edible and experienced a restful night’s sleep, which motivated her to start making her own infused products.
Discovering Sous Vide for Odor‑Free Infusions
Living in a building with a strict no‑smoking policy meant that traditional stovetop or slow‑cooker infusions would risk unwanted odors. At the time, Lo worked as a Creative Director for a sous vide startup, giving her access to precision‑temperature water baths.
She sealed cannabis flower and carrier oil in vacuum bags and submerged them in the sous vide bath. The airtight environment eliminated smell while allowing precise temperature control, which preserved delicate cannabinoids and terpenes. This method enabled her to produce multiple infusions simultaneously using various strains.
Sous vide cooking, first adopted in professional kitchens during the 1970s, gained popularity among home chefs in the 2000s. Its ability to maintain consistent temperatures makes it ideal for infusing fats, oils, and alcohol without degrading heat‑sensitive compounds.
Embracing the Plant’s Full Spectrum
Lo treats cannabis as a nutrient‑dense vegetable rather than merely a psychoactive additive. She advocates using whole‑plant material to capture the broad spectrum of cannabinoids—over 100 have been identified—and the aromatic terpenes that give each strain its unique scent.
By selecting strains with specific terpene profiles, she tailors infusions to complement dishes. For example, a garlicky, funky strain infused into lard or schmaltz works well in savory preparations, while a citrusy strain blended into olive oil creates a bright salad dressing. She also incorporates raw fan leaves into chimichurri or juices them to color dumpling dough, showcasing the plant’s versatility.
This approach aligns with emerging research suggesting that terpenes may contribute to the therapeutic effects of cannabis through the entourage effect (Russo, 2011).
The Weed Gummies Cookbook and Beyond
Lo’s latest project, The Weed Gummies Cookbook, reflects her goal of making home‑based cannabis infusions approachable for beginners and experienced cooks alike. The book provides step‑by‑step instructions, color photos, and safety tips for labeling and storing edibles.
She emphasizes that homemade gummies are cost‑effective, discreet, and delicious, allowing consumers to control dosage and ingredient quality. Through her blog, Instagram, and collaborations with cannabis brands, Lo continues to educate audiences on responsible culinary cannabis use.
Chef Monica Lo’s Cannabis Chimichurri Recipe
Photo credit: Monica Lo, Sous Weed®
Chef Monica Lo says, “If you’re growing a cannabis or hemp plant at home and you’re unsure of what to do with all the fan leaves—just eat it! While the leaves, in the raw state, won’t get you high, they can still provide you with a wealth of health benefits. Plus, it makes an awesome chimichurri.”
Prep time:
10 minutes
Cook time:
No cooking necessary
Recipe yield
Makes about 2 cups
Recipe ingredients
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup raw cannabis or hemp leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red jalapeño, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil*
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
Recipe instructions
1. Chop all ingredients separately.
2. Add ingredients into a bowl and mix well.**
3. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve on skirt steak or roast chicken and enjoy.
*Substitute regular olive oil with your preferred dosage of cannabis-infused extra virgin olive oil if you’d like.
**To make a creamier dipping sauce that tastes amazing on empanadas, blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor.
Follow Chef Monica Lo on Instagram to stay up to date on her recipes, books, and adventures. Click here to check out more of her recipes on Leafly.
