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Photo Credit: Ryan Wall

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]he Session, born Kory Chester, is on a mission to single-handedly change stereotypes when it comes to his creations. As a private chef and hip-hop artist, don’t be fooled by first impressions and pre-conceived ideas. This classically trained private chef-turned-YouTube-and-Instagram-sensation indeed spits lyrics and stands at six-foot-five. Yet while he is often compared to Wiz Khalifa, he has so much more heart and depth than your typical celebrity lookalike.

Working as a private chef on a daily basis for high-end clientele, The Session provides his clients with daily doses of health and nutrition. However, his altruism to give back to those who are less fortunate is what truly serves as the true driving force of his ambition. With an impressive following on social media, this private chef and artist sat down with CULTURE to talk about food, music, his community and how cannabis is the secret ingredient to inspiration in his life.

 

More than a Paycheck

Ambitious, resourceful and a lover of food—The Session started his path to becoming a chef during high school back in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he attended trade school

 

Although he has only lived a vegan lifestyle for a little over a year, The Session is a huge advocate for the health benefits that he continues to receive. “Being a vegan is beneficial in every way,” he said.
“Your skin is better. You feel better. I just feel better.”

 

Although most of his clients aren’t interested in cannabis-infused vegan meals at this point, The Session still whips up cannabis meals for friends and clients who have become friends. He would love to branch into more cannabis-related cuisine and events in the future, but that isn’t the only future he foresees. “One of my goals is to do more weed-related events, but my main goal is to become the highest paid private chef in California,” he said.

classes for cooking alongside his general studies. Over a year ago, he relocated to Northern California, where he now prepares vegan meals daily as a private chef.

 

Upon visiting The Session’s YouTube channel, his altruism and commitment to giving back to the community are clear to see. Various videos show him whipping up delicious vegan meals at the kitchen in his home, then delivering vegan meals to people who are homeless and less fortunate in his local community on days like 420 and Thanksgiving. Of all that he does, his truest intention in life is to serve others.

“All I really want out of this world is to make changes and help, because I feel like everybody is not going to do that. And you only get one life,” The Session said. “So, my legacy that I would like to leave behind is just . . . God forbid if I were to pass away in a week, they could at least say, ‘Damn, he was taking money out of his pocket to help everybody.’ I’m consistent every day. I help people every day. I spread love every day.”

He is committed to this mission. As he continues to find success, he will largely use his platforms for the greater good of those around him. “As I keep growing and as I get to the top, I know I will be able to help the world,” he concluded.

Photo Credit: Ryan Wall

 

Paving a New Path

Food and altruism aren’t the only passions that The Session is dedicated to. In respect to the hip-hop music he creates, The Session’s overall direction is another example of his uniqueness. What you hear coming through the speakers from The Session clearly breaks the mold of what people might expect or stereotype from his rap music and his appearance in general.

“My music direction, I don’t want to be labeled as anything. I don’t want to be a cliché rapper. My goal in life is to defy stereotypes all the way around. I make tons of rap songs for sure, but as my production grows and as I find my sound, I’m looking to make a song of every genre,” he said.

The latest song he recorded is a true testament to this goal. The song by David Sharkey feat. The Session entitled, “NvR Without You” is a love song, the first of which The Session had a part in producing. Although he raps on the track, his flow is melodic and beautiful, which is vastly different than what one might typically expect to hear from a hip-hop artist.

 

The Unifying Herb

Although he’s spread in many directions, the one unifying aspect of The Session’s exciting lifestyle is cannabis. Playing an important role in his creative processes of both music and cooking, cannabis is an essential part of his daily life to which he is very grateful.

“It’s a part of my life. I have weed tattooed on me. I don’t know if that’s an awesome thing or not, but to me it’s pretty cool. Weed inspires everything I do. Literally every time I cook for my clients, I’m always high. It gives me a creative edge,” The Session said. “For example, before I go to the store, I smoke a little bit. It gets me a little hungry and opens my mind to think, ‘What would they want to eat today?’”

Being from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but now calling California home, The Session has seen first-hand the negative impact of cannabis prohibition. “As a black man in this country, I know so many people back home, where I’m from, who were affected by smoking a joint, and you can get arrested for the most miniscule thing. No one should be punished for consuming cannabis.”

When it comes to what The Session hopes to bring to his viewers, his fans and the world around him, it’s to have perseverance and never give up on your dreams. “If you can envision it, if you can taste it, if you can feel it, it will happen. You just have to stick with it. You can’t ever give up, because I feel like this is just the start for me.”

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