Chef Up North

10/25/2026

THE FUTURE IS LISTENING: Before the championships. Before the opportunities. Before the world knows their names.

There are moments like this.

A room full of potential.
A generation searching for direction.
And an opportunity to give them something greater than the game.

KNOWLEDGE. WISDOM. UNDERSTANDING.

Because talent alone won’t build stronger communities. Potential alone won’t change a nation.

It takes leaders who show up. Mentors who pour into others. People who understand that greatness isn’t just about what you accomplish — it’s about what you pass on.

Every lesson matters.
Every voice matters.
Every generation has a responsibility to the next.

THE FUTURE ISN’T JUST SOMETHING WE WAIT FOR.
IT’S SOMETHING WE BUILD.

📸 Captured through the lens of Counted Me Out Productions.

Hall of Hope | Springfield, MA

10/25/2026

You say it’s your winning season—but do your habits say the same? 💯 What are you feeding your mind? How are you sharpening your craft? And when motivation wears off, what keeps you disciplined?

I’ve always been a student of life. I study the Greats because I want to understand their minds—their discipline, philosophies, and how they respond when things get difficult. Then I ask myself: What can I apply to my own life?

My current read, by Pat Mixon, has me reflecting on eight principles of success:

1. Have a Gladiator Mentality & Welcome All Challenges

2. Know What Fuels You, What Drives You

3. Fear Is a Great Motivator

4. Be a Talented Overachiever

5. Accept Your Nature

6. Honor the Game

7. Master Your Craft

8. Live With Passion

Which one challenges you the most? Which one needs more attention in your life right now?

I’m stepping into this season with a willingness to learn, an appreciation for what drives me, and a responsibility to put those lessons into practice.

It’s the winning season. What are you doing today to prepare for what you say you want? 💯

10/24/2026

THE GROWTH IS STARTING TO LOOK DIFFERENT. 🔥As 2026 begins to wind down, we’ve been taking some time to reflect on how far Chef Up North has come — and more importantly, where we’re headed.

Sometimes, growth isn’t measured by how much money you’ve made or how many plates you’ve served. Sometimes, it’s measured by the rooms you’ve entered, the relationships you’ve built, the opportunities you’ve earned, and the foundation you’re laying for what’s next.

Seeing Chef Up North represented alongside established national brands and respected organizations at this year’s Hall of Hope was one of those moments that made us stop and appreciate the journey.

Not because our name was on the same board, but because of everything it took to get there.

The planning. The preparation. The long days. The lessons. The sacrifices. The people who believed in what we’re building before they could fully see the vision.

And we’re still building.

As the culinary division of Counted Me Out Productions, Chef Up North has always been about more than food. It’s about culture, community, connection, and creating experiences that bring people together.

We’re grateful for every customer, supporter, collaborator, and organization that has trusted us along the way.

2026 has been a year of building relationships, strengthening our foundation, and learning what it takes to grow.

2027? We’re preparing to move differently. Bigger vision. Stronger partnerships. Greater capacity. Same commitment to quality.

We’re not rushing the process. We’re growing into the opportunities we’ve been preparing for.

When they count you out… We count you in.

— Chef Up North | A Division of CMOP

10/07/2026

Today, Chef Up North celebrates our Co-Founder, LaTasha Monroe, as she steps into her new role as President of the Board of Directors for Parent Villages.

Whether it’s through food, education, advocacy, or simply showing up when people need it, service has always been part of who we are.

And for Tash, this isn’t where the work begins.

She was here before the title.

Congratulations, Madam President. Keep serving. Keep leading. 💪🏽🔥

She was here before the title. Parent Villages is proud to announce LaTasha Monroe as President of the Board of Directors.

Many may already know LaTasha as the writer of “All Children,” the Parent Villages theme song. But her connection to Parent Villages reaches back to its earliest days, with years of service both behind the scenes and in leadership, including serving as Vice President, supporting programs and events, and advocating alongside families navigating the special education process.

Her leadership is grounded in more than 20 years of work with young people and communities, a decade as a K–8 educator, a Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Springfield College, and a Master of Education from Elizabeth City State University.

LaTasha is also Co-Founder of Counted Me Out Productions and Chef Up North, and creator of No Ghostwriter Needed!!!, a hip-hop and ELA program connecting culture, literacy, and youth voice.

For years, she has been comfortable contributing without being at the center of the story.

Today, she steps forward.

Not as someone newly arriving, but as someone who has been part of the work, the growth, and the village for years. As President, LaTasha will bring that same commitment into this next chapter. Working alongside the Board and organizational leadership to strengthen Parent Villages, protect its mission, and help guide the organization forward.

The Village Continues — because the next generation still needs a village.

10/04/2026

THOROUGHBREDS | A TASTE OF LIFE 🎬 Build the life. Grow through the process. And make sure you actually live it.

We’re learning that elevation isn’t only about what you accomplish — it’s also about what you allow yourself to experience along the way.

Peace. Love. Health. Generational Wealth.

Journey of Renewal | Myrtle Beach

10/04/2026

THOROUGHBREDS | A TASTE OF LIFE: Renewal gave us more than rest. It gave us revelation. A reminder to step outside of what’s familiar. Try something new. Go somewhere different. Taste something you’ve never tasted. Experience more of what this life has to offer while you still have the opportunity to experience it.

Because building a life shouldn’t come at the expense of actually living it.

We’re learning to live to the maximum—not through excess, but through intention. To protect what matters. To create memories. To take care of ourselves. To build something that will outlive us. And most importantly, to enjoy each other while we’re both still here to do it.

Our definition of wealth has become increasingly clear:

Peace. Love. Health. Generational Wealth.

Everything else has to fit somewhere beneath those four things.

Thoroughbreds was another new experience for us, but the bigger takeaway from Myrtle Beach has been much deeper:

Don’t spend so much of your life preparing for someday that you forget to live today.

Destination: Myrtle Beach — CMOP’s Journey of Renewal.

09/29/2026

“Lift as you rise.” 🏀 Those words from Nancy Lieberman brought this chapter of Hall of Hope full circle.

What began with a young person watching, learning and taking it all in ends in that very same place — but after two days surrounded by mentorship, opportunity, competition, innovation and people willing to pour into the next generation.

That’s the heart of Hall of Hope.

Rise. And bring somebody with you.

🎥 Counted Me Out Productions

09/27/2026

The work looks different when you come back renewed. We came home from Myrtle Beach with a clearer vision for what we’re building — and stepped right back into the work at Hall of Hope.

For CMOP, this season has been about more than creating content. It’s about building relationships, aligning with people who see the value in what we bring to the table, and creating partnerships where storytelling can be part of something bigger.

Hall of Hope was another reminder that we’re moving in the right direction.

New rooms. New relationships. Bigger vision. Same foundation.

When they count you out… We count you in.

09/24/2026

At some point, you have to ask yourself: When did living become something you keep putting off?

We spend so much time handling responsibilities, chasing the next goal, meeting expectations, and becoming everything life requires of us that it can be easy to forget that our lives belong to us too.

This summer, we chose differently.

We made room for good food, new experiences, laughter, spontaneity—and the kind of moments that don’t need to accomplish anything other than making you feel alive.

Because balance isn’t something you find after all the work is finished.

You make room for it while the work is still happening.

Life is a carnival.
Don’t forget to enjoy the ride.

Destination: Myrtle Beach
CMOP’s Journey of Renewal — Part 2