It’s hard to believe we’re already in 2025….mind-blowing even. But here we are! And back in 2024, AARP reached out about photographing Chef Chad Cherry. This would actually be the second time I had the pleasure of making portraits of Chef Chad— the first time being back in 2018 for Eating Well/Diabetic Living Magazine. I’m happy to report that both photoshoots were great experiences, as Cherry is a wonderful collaborator and subject.

For this assignment, my photo assistant, Dragi, and I headed to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Miami Gardens. At the church, Chef Chad was leading a community cooking class and healthy eating demo.

Some years ago, Cherry underwent a life-altering journey proceeding complications from type 2 diabetes that landed him in the hospital for more than a month. "I've seen so many family members die of complications with diabetes or heart disease," Chad says. "And then when I got sick, it really hit home."

Determined to make a difference in his own life and the lives of others, Chad founded Chef Kulture, an organization dedicated to educating communities about healthy eating and addressing food disparities, especially in low-income areas.