Michelle "Shelly" La Fata wanted a new avenue to express her creativity. About five years ago, this desire is what led the Columbia kitchen professional to hold pop-up events at local bars and concert venues. At that time, La Fata was using the kitchen at Cafe Berlin as a commissary to prepare her fresh pasta, sauces, lasagna and other products. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which had an opposite effect on La Fata's business compared to many others. 

"My business grew and I started taking up more space" at Cafe Berlin, La Fata said. While La Fata had an established business with five employees who worked daily, it still was very much a start-up. When she outgrew Cafe Berlin, La Fata turned to CoMo Cooks, the shared kitchen space at Mizzou North that then moved to a temporary location on Walnut Street in January.