Welcome to Episode 7; Luxury Meets…Culinary

Life-changing moments, stunning culinary career transformations.

In this episode host Jed Wexler talks to the leaders of a new breed of modern culinary companies leading with wellness, CBD, and even Cannabis…and transforming how we all come together in the process.

Hear from our guests:

Interview #1: Greg Bernhardt, Head Chef of Black Dahlia Botanicals 
For over 15 years, chef Greg Bernhardt was a staple in Los Angeles’ bustling culinary scene responsible for some of L.A.’s most impactful Michelin-starred restaurants such as Patina, Trois Mec, Ludo Bites, Church & State, and Paley.  He also won Iron Chef.Then one day he had the mother of all life-changing a-ha moments while stuck in L.A. traffic.

Greg discusses how burnout and his mental health epiphany started him on his own personal and professional wellness journey — and how in the process co-created a groundbreaking new category of lifestyle-meets CBD confections brand. You’re also going to love his love-letter to L.A. cuisine.

Follow Greg and Black Dahlia Botanicals 
Website 
Instagram (Black Dahlia)
Instagram (Darkhardt)

Interview #2: Nicola & James Stephenson, Co-Founders, oHHo
These partners in life and in business went from owning one of the buzziest restaurants in London’s Covent Garden as well as an agency serving global clients such as Tiffany & Co, Peloton, The United Nations, Pat McGrath, Microsoft and LVMH… to founding a full-fledged, wellness-forward luxury lifestyle food & beverage company of the future…And a partnership with the (RED) foundation (founded by Bono). 

What exactly inspired them? Tune in to this incredible fireside chat and find out.

Follow oHHo 
Website - experience their CBD and Cannabis wellness offerings across chocolate, hot chocolate, beverages, edibles, and so much more.  
Instagram

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Thanks to Our Incredible Sponsors:
Happi An amazing all-natural, hemp-derived THC-infused seltzer brand.  To find your Happi visit www.happihourdrink.com and enter code LMCC25 for a 25% discount: You can also get Happi at these fine stores: Binny's in Chicago, Top Ten Liquors in Minnesota, and Total Wine in Houston, Georgia, Kansas, St. Louis, Tennessee, & Wisconsin.
   
Upstate Mary A sexual wellness brand with a luxurious collection of CBD-infused plant-powered intimacy essentials. Visit https://upstatemary.com/ and use Code LMCC20 for 20% off checkout.
Upstate Mary is Female grown and Women owned — created by founders with a vision to foster conversations and community around female wellness and intimacy.  

Black Dahlia Lastly, Greg and his team from Black Dahlia wanted to give our listeners something really special for Valentine’s Day and beyond —  Visit blackdahlia.co and check out their chef-made confections, Chocolate Bonbons,...

In this episode host Jed Wexler talks to Brian Underwood, Beauty & Wellness Director of Women's Health — one of the largest health and wellness brands in media —kicking off our new, "On Beauty" series!

Brian is an award-winning journalist — he previously served as beauty and wellness director at Oprah Daily and has interviewed everyone from Meg The Stallion, Jennifer Garner, Kristen Bell, and many others, and is a driving force behind the Women’s Health Skincare Awards.
He has also graced our LMCC conference stage with top execs from Ulta Beauty, Thirteen Lune, JCPenney, Frederic Fekkai, August, and others.

We discuss:

• How brands can capture and keep an editor’s attention
• The keys to effective storytelling
• Favorite Products and how to use them: Bodycare, Haircare, Face: Moisturizer/Cleanser Fragrance, Sunscreen (!), Makeup, Women’s Wellness
• How he landed his first big job at Oprah Daily
• Brian’s “Fran Drescher Moment”
• The importance of creating personal rituals
• What ever happened to CBD Skincare?

Thanks to our Incredible Sponsors:

Upstate Mary: A sexual wellness brand with a luxurious collection of CBD-infused plant-powered intimacy essentials. Visit https://upstatemary.com/ and use Code LMCC20 for 20% off checkout.Upstate Mary is Female grown and Women owned — created by founders with a vision to foster conversations and community around female wellness and intimacy.  

Sleepy Bear: Recently named US Weekly’s #1, “Best CBD Brand in America,” this trusted brand of gummies is crafted with unique formulas for everything from sleep, daytime wellness, menstrual support, and deep relaxation.  Head over to www.SleepyBearGummies.com and use code “LMCC20” and receive 20% off at checkout. 

Mary & Jane: Mary & Jane is a women-owned wellness brand renowned for its almost-always sold out “Sunny” microdose hemp-derived edibles, called “melts”  — with just 1mg of THC and a slew of plant ingredients designed to provide subtle yet targeted effects.  Visit shopmaryandjane.com/ and enter code LMCC2025 for 25% off your first purchase. Mary & Jane products are also available at select retailers including: Clean Market, Pop Up Grocer, and Alchemist’s Kitchen.

LMCC Conference: An award-winning B2B wellness event experience — and the only one of its kind anywhere in the world. Get on our global waitlist HERE

To Sponsor this Podcast: sponsor@lmccshow.com

Inspirations: One of our inspirations in starting this podcast series is Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donahue who has written extensively on the inner landscape of beauty — he insisted on beauty as a human calling. He said: “Beauty isn’t all just about nice loveliness.  Beauty is about a more rounded, substantial becoming... Beauty in that sense is about an emerging fullness, a greater sense of grace and elegance, a deeper sense of depth — a kind of homecoming for the enriched memory of your unfolding life.”  — John O’Donahue

Subscribe & Follow “Luxury Meets…” wherever you listen to your podcasts, on Instagram @LMCCShow and LinkedIn so you don’t...

Host Jed Wexler talks to Ricki Lake, talk-show host, acclaimed actor (“Hairspray”), and documentary filmmaker (“The Business of Being Born”) — and Lex Corwin, CEO of Stone Road, about their new cannabis collaboration, women’s health, and so much more.

Hear from our guests: Ricki Lake Lex Corwin, CEO & Founder, Stone Road

We discuss: 

• The launch of their new Cannabis brand together 
• Ricki’s 2008 documentary, “The Business of Being Born”
• The path from talk show host to women's health pioneer & consumer advocate
• Lex Corwin’s Stone Road, “the industry’s sexiest Cannabis brand” 
• Authenticity — the key to building a brand
• Ricki’s journey from “Just Say No” to fully embracing Cannabis as medicine 

Thanks to Our Sponsors:

Black Dahlia Botanicals: Visit blackdahlia.co to experience their handmade confections, chocolate bonbons, lollipops, gelees, candles, and fragrances — receive 20% off when you visit blackdahlia.co and enter LMCC20 at checkout.

Jade Stone Branding: A full-service cannabis branding and creative agency specializing in high-end, luxury design. Schedule a meeting with them HERE and learn how to make your brand unforgettable.

Kerwell: This episode is also generously supported by Kerwell! The Kerwell Collection is a premium line of award-winning CBD wellness products created for sleep, stress, pain, and more. Visit www.Kerwellness.com and use code LMCC20 for 20% off their Kerwell Collection at checkout thru the holidays! (...and see for yourself why The Daily Beast is obsessed with their products)

LMCC Conference: The only B2B wellness event experience of its kind anywhere in the world. Get on our global waitlist HERE

To Sponsor this Podcast: Get in touch and get in front of your audience this holiday season (and beyond) sponsor@lmccshow.com

Subscribe & Follow “Luxury Meets…” wherever you listen to your podcasts, on Instagram @LMCCShow and LinkedIn so you don’t miss Episode 6, the official launch of our “On Beauty” series featuring the world’s top beauty editors/directors and category influencers sharing their personal and professional journeys, favorite products — and trends too.

Executive Produced by: Brit Smith, Different Leaf Studios
Mixed & Edited by: Karma Auger, Studio1LA
Visual Design by: Sur Keath Moon, Secret Club Studio

This episode, host Jed Wexler talks to 3 category-defining founders at the helm of the most influential THC-infused, non-alcoholic, and functional wellness beverage brands in the world.

Discover why this cultural and category phenomenon is not only here to stay but just might be overtaking beer, wine, and big alcohol in the process. Get in touch: sponsor@lmccshow.com


Hear from our guests:

Interview 1: Jake Bullock, Co-Founder, CannCann is the #1-selling cannabis beverage in the U.S. – backed by top consumer and celebrity investors like Gwyneth Paltrow, Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose, Baron Davis, Tove Lo and many others.

We discuss: 

• the non-alcoholic and THC-infused beverage phenomenon
• why smaller doses mean greater return
• how this category is transforming how people everywhere socialize
• mainstream partnerships with Barstool Sports and World Pickleball Tournament
• “If you can buy a beer, you should be able to buy Cann.”

Interview 2: Lisa Hurwitz, President, HappiHappi is an award-winning women-owned and led, all-natural hemp-derived THC-infused seltzer and functional wellness beverage brand founded by former global CPG executives.

We discuss:

• people are drinking less alcohol - why? (Hint: it’s about health and wellness)
• the keys to succeeding in the N/A and infused beverage category
• overcoming challenges as women-founders
• the explosion of E-commerce (a.k.a. why privacy is still important)
• the hospitality and grocery stores opportunity
• “We’re in this amazing cultural and regulatory moment.”

Interview 3: Darnell Smith, Founder, MXXNMXXN (pronounced “Moon”) is an ultra-premium cannabis-infused non-alcoholic spirits brand – a one-to-one replacement for traditional spirits and crafted, flavorful cocktails.

We discuss:

• “The one thing that is for certain is that the consumer wants this.” 
• keys to business success? The importance of category-building first
• what it means to follow the data
• successfully navigating uncertainty in an ever-changing legal environment
• creating a standout luxury N/A “mixology” brand

Our Sponsors:

Jade Stone Branding - A full-service cannabis branding and creative agency specializing in high-end, luxury design. Visit https://www.jadestonebranding.com/lmcc  now to begin the application process of becoming a Jade Stone client yourself.

Happi - A collection of infused seltzers made for any occasion with award-winning flavors all made with real fruit juice and 0% alcohol – visit happihourdrink.com and use code LMCC20 for 20% off at checkout.

LMCC Conference - The only B2B event of its kind anywhere in the world. Visit  LMCCShow.com  to add yourself to the global waitlist for the opportunity to attend one of our upcoming award-winning, in-person events.  

To Sponsor this podcast sponsor@lmccshow.com

Follow “Luxury Meets…” wherever you listen to your podcasts and on Instagram @LMCCShow so you don’t miss Episode 5 featuring two amazing guests – that you most certainly will all know – who are at the forefront of modern wellness.

Executive Produced by: Brit Smith, Different Leaf Studios
Mixed & Edited by: Karma Auger,Show more...