Chefs to Watch: Spartanburg (SC) School District 6’s Andrew Evans puts down roots in school lunch

Having two kids of his own helped guide the career of Andrew Evans, chef and food service administrator for high school and middle school at South Carolina’s Spartanburg School District 6. Evans, who had gotten used to the hustle and bustle of commercial restaurant life, is now settled down, but far from boring.

He’s been playing a big part in a very functional farm-to-school operation, for one. With land from the Spartanburg County Foundation, this farm could be a model for other schools looking to have a real, working farm that can actually supply food for the district realistically. At a time when supply-chain headaches are an everyday occurrence for school food pros, farming and agriculture is at the forefront in more meaningful ways than ever.

Evans talks about what he’s got planned as the school year enters into the winter season (hint: it’s soup season!) and also about finding ways to incorporate neighboring school districts into the positive growth happening at Spartanburg.