Meet Chef Turtle | Chef/Educator/Author/Public Speaker/Influencer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chef Turtle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chef, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I decided to start Chef Turtle’s Infusion Consulting LLC to help educate patients on how to do their own infusions and show them how simple it really is. Because I could not legally sell a product. I started doing my culinary show to give away all of my recipes for patients to do in their own home. Between the educational workshops, and the culinary show those two things also lead to my published infusion guide book that’s extremely budget friendly for the patient.

Basically, I wanted to help educate the community and show patients how to do everything on a budget and in their own home.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Chef Turtle’s Infusion Consulting LLC it’s all about helping educate not only the patients, but everybody else in the world to help break the stigma of cannabis. Along with teaching workshops at the Better Business Bureau., I have a published infusion guide book “Chef Turtle’s Infusion Guide/Cookbook with Savory & Baked Recipes”. I have a culinary show on YouTube “Chef Turtle’s Infusion Kitchen” and I do public speaking for cannabis education and motivation all across the nation.

I do run my business by myself for the most part but I do have a good friend of mine “Nick Ruggiero” that does the majority of my videography for my show. Because I do run my business myself, I have run into so many struggles learning how to do things, but at the end of the day, it is fully worth it. I get to be myself and help others, while educating myself on every aspect of business and the industry.

Because I found out in 2020 I am not legally allowed to sell a product that was one of the biggest heartaches I had to endure along with figuring out how to keep myself relevant in this industry that I love so much. And that kind of roadblock for me has fueled my fire to educate and build my brand in every aspect of this industry that I am able to reach. I am a patient at the beginning of the day and the end of the day so my business is all about helping the patient first.

Along with everything else, I also do motivational videos. These videos in a way portray my struggles that I deal with on a regular basis, and the advice that I give myself as well. Intern, I have had so many people reach out, thanking me for those videos because they have helped them transition or change a part of their life that was hurting them. So not only am I able to help myself transition and change the things that I don’t like about myself and the patterns but I am also able to help a lot of other people with these videos.

This industry is all about healing, and that can come from many sources. So for my business, I try to get involved in all of the different resources to help patients live a happier and healthier life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For me personally I would take them all over Arizona to the different cities. I would show them around all the little towns like Wickenburg, Prescott, Sedona, Jerome, Flagstaff, Tucson, and many others. We would check out different local eateries in those towns and drive around some back roads to look at all the nature. Depending on the weather, do a little hiking, and some of the valleys and mountain sides.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, I want to give a huge shout out to my mother, who has been my biggest supporter since I started in this industry and throughout my entire life. I would also like to think so many other people in this industry and below I will name a few that I’ve had a huge impact on my career and my life. I would like to thank Dorothy Lawson, the owner of ruby red Confections, because she was my Head Chef, and hired me at the Mint Cafe, when I first stepped into the industry. She helped refine my skills and teach me a lot of different aspects of this industry along with culinary. Not only did she help me with all of that, but she has become one of my best friends over the past three years.

I would like to give a shout out to Stephanie the owner of Nugjewelz for always being a huge supporter, sponsoring my culinary show in the beginning, and doing a collaboration for a turtle line with her jewelry business.

This shout out goes to somebody who has inspired me through all their trials and tribulations. They’ve treated me as family since day one, and have helped me grow in this industry. This person and his family have always been there for the community to help the patients and support other local businesses doing the same. I’m talking about Chris Martin owner of Hempful Farms.

I would also like to thank JT owner of Live To Blaze clothing, Zach owner of MaryJane Smokewear, everyone at Tom’s Palms, Sheldon Cooper owner of The Cannabis Awards Music Festival, Eric Norton from Imperious Cannabis Business Expo, Amethyst Kinney owner of Cannafriends, Raul/Pablo/Ivan owners of The Mint Dispensary, along with every single one of you stoned turtles out there that have supported me!!

If I did not mention your name above, I do apologize the list could go on and on forever just know I do appreciate every single one of you!! LOVE, PEACE, & CANNABIS!

Website: http://www.chefturtlesinfusionkitchen.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/chefturtle420?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-mcalister-557881161

Twitter: @ChefTurtle2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChefTurtle42O?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMd96E3V7Gu0CNF-GpgPioA?sub_confirmation=1

Other: Tiktok-ChefTurtle420 Social Club-ChefTurtle420 Snapchat-ChefTurtle420

Image Credits
Tari Feilds owner of Qweentea Photography Parker Long