Vanessa Lavorato

Born in California and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, television host, chocolatier, and food writer Vanessa Lavorato graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in art history and Italian. But the biggest lesson she took from school was that her calling sat at the crossroads of entrepreneurship, food, and cannabis. In 2010, she founded Marigold Sweets, creating a market for edibles that prioritizes flavor and sourcing while maintaining artisanal quality. Lavorato built her business on the strength of her premium product, despite the added challenge of navigating the ever-changing laws governing cannabis edibles. Starting in 2016, Lavorato cohosted and culinarily-produced three seasons of VICE’s James Beard Award–nominated cannabis cooking show Bong Appétit. These days, her stoner-at-a-stove cooking show, The Edibles Club, brings together members from around the world to learn to make dishes like Hash Tortellini and Weed Hollandaze. She lives in Los Angeles.