The Team
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Resident Chef & Chopped Champion (Chopped 420)
Chef Solomon Johnson is a private chef, kitchen consultant, restaurateur, and cannabis-enthusiast based out of Oakland, California. His love for hospitality and elevated food experiences began in cooking school and have grown over the past 15 years to include roles in fine dining kitchens and catering operations around the United States.
Chef Johnson exploded onto the Bay Area culinary scene during the peak of the pandemic when he took the flavors and traditions of the African Diaspora and reimagined what this cuisine would be like in a fine dining setting. Today, he is the chef and co-owner of pan-African restaurant, The Bussdown, and fine dining restaurant OKO in Oakland’s iconic Tribune Tower.
Chef Johnson is also the first-ever Bay Area Chopped 420 Champion. Earlier this year Chef Johnson won this unprecedented marijuana-centric cooking contest solidifying himself as one of the top cannabis chefs in the industry. His whimsical and nostalgic menus are inspired by Pan-African food diasporas and he prides himself on showcasing flavor profiles that are both bold and exciting.
Chef Johnson loves teaching as much as he does cooking and is thrilled to be able to share his love and passion for cannabis-infused dining with those familiar with cannabis culture and those looking to explore it.
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Founder & CEO
Chelsea is a journalist and content creator based in San Francisco whose passions include culinary travel and storytelling. After spending years traveling internationally covering destinations, hotels and dining experiences while living in New York City, she returned to San Francisco in 2018 with the intention of rebuilding her roots in the Bay Area community.
After helping to launch the Napa Valley Cannabis Association's social media platforms in 2020, she took a keen interest in the world of cannabis. Particularly the intersection of cannabis and food within the world of tourism. Enter: Cannescape.
Chelsea’s writing can be found in INSIDER, Business Insider, Forbes, TravelPulse, SF Gate, Travel Weekly, Thrillist, and more. Her work has also been featured on Yahoo! and MSN. In addition, she's been featured as a travel and lifestyle expert in numerous publications, including Forbes, Travel + Leisure, Refinery 29 and Travel Channel. Find her portfolio here.
Beyond writing, Chelsea is a social media specialist, working as the social media manager for several prominent San Francisco Bay Area restaurants and organizations. Moreover, using her Instagram, @cheycheyfromthebay, and blog, Chey Chey From The Bay, she collaborates with tourism boards, restaurants, wineries and more to share her fun and memorable experiences, in genuine ways.
Chelsea holds a degree in Political Science from Columbia University.