IN THE
STUDIO
IN THE
KITCHEN
MESE COOKS
Husband • Father of 7 • Chef • Songwriter
Crafting unforgettable meals and heartfelt songs — all from a lifetime of real experience.
MUSIC
The Dream That Never Let Go.
Long before the loaded catering vans and 5,000 guest events, Mese Ugapo was a songwriter. Writing hooks on scratch paper, crafting melodies while stirring a pot, and dreaming of a life in music since he was a teen.
In his 20s and early 30s, that dream started to take shape. Mese was signed to a publishing deal with a small but passionate label based in Colorado. For two years, he wrote, created, and sharpened his craft as an emerging songwriter. And when his contract term ended, the label even offered him an extension. They believed in him.
But life was unfolding quickly. He had a wife. A growing family. Real responsibilities. The contract wasn't bringing in income, and the pressure was intense and heavy.
Anna Marie - the same wife who would later build a catering business with him - was willing to go ALL IN. She was ready to move to Nashville so he could chase the dream fully.
But Mese wasn't ready.
Not because he didn't believe...
But because he was afraid.
Afraid of what people would say if he failed.
Afraid of letting down the people he loved most.
So he walked away from the contract.
He put his dream on the shelf.
And he went to work.
FOOD
From a Family Dream to Feeding Thousands.
Gwen Marlowe Catering began long before it had a name. It started with a husband and wife—Mese and Anna Marie—trying to create a better life for their growing family of seven children.
After years of working in dead end jobs, juggling long hours, and doing whatever it took to support the people he loved, Mese found himself at a crossroads. A songwriting contract he had been pursuing wasn’t providing financially, and his wife Anna Marie—selfless, supportive, and always practical—encouraged him to step into something new that could truly sustain the family.
She didn’t just support him… she brainstormed with him. She dreamed with him.
And she’s the one who said, “Let’s start a catering company.”
What started as a small idea around the kitchen table became a full-service operation serving thousands across Southern California. Gwen Marlowe Catering grew on the foundation of:
• honest hard work
• beautiful food
• unforgettable service
• and two people determined to build something meaningful together
Today, Gwen Marlowe is known for spectacular quality catering, corporate events, weddings, film productions, and celebrations of every kind.
Food with heart. Food with purpose. Food built on family.
HOW FOOD AND MUSIC CAME TOGETHER
What looked like the end of one dream became the start of another. Being that Anna Marie was raised in a second generation catering family, she suggested they started their own catering company - something they could build together, something that could provide for their family while still giving Mese an outlet to flex his muscle creatively.
That spark of genius and inspiration became Gwen Marlowe Catering. Food became the vehicle that supported their home...but music never left Mese's heart.
Now, after decades of raising children, serving communities, building businesses, and living a full, imperfect, beautiful life...Mese is stepping back into the dream he walked away from so many years ago.
But this time, with experience.
With a story worth telling.
With a wife who was always faithful.
And with seven kids watching him show the world that it's never too late to chase a dream.