August 5, 2019
Chef Edward Evans is Director of Culinary Operations for Maryland Live! Casino. He is also a Y volunteer with a big heart and a dedication to giving back. Originally from West Baltimore, Chef Evans has never forgotten his roots or his commitment to use his talents and expertise as a way to open doors for others.
Take a minute to watch this recent WJZ news story: Chef Evans' "Around the World on a Plate Tour"
Says Evans of his personal cooking philosophy: “You should follow your heart when you’re cooking and do what you feel in the moment. Cooking provides a tour of the world using food to take you anywhere they (others) want to go." Following that mantra, Chef Evans was a contestant on the popular TV cooking show "Chopped," which has a $10,000 prize for the 1st place winner. Though Chef Evans made it to the second round but didn't win, the kids we serve won big because his employer, Maryland Live! Casino, knowing of Chef Evans' passion for helping young people still in West Baltimore, decided to honor him by giving $10,000 to support the charity of his choice, which fortunately is the Y!
A member of the Y’s Anne Arundel County Community Leadership Board, Chef Evans created an international “Around the World on a Plate Tour” for a group of about 100 Y kids from our Druid Hill Y summer enrichment camp, New Horizons II summer program for homeless teens and campers from both the Y’s camps at the Pasadena Y and Camp Whippoorwill. They also got to hear Chef Evans talk about his inspiring journey from growing up in West Baltimore to a highly successful culinary career. It was a remarkable event for everyone involved.
Many thanks to Chef Edward Evans and to our good partners at Maryland Live! for their generosity both of financial resources and of heart, and to all those who helped make this fantastic and inspiring day happen!
All the best,
John
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland