Ms. Pharren Evans, known to her students as Chef Evans, was born and raised in Los Angeles, where she has lived most of her life. Before coming to Glendale High School as a culinary teacher, she held many different positions, including a culinary instructor, a substitute teacher, a fourth-grade teacher, and banker.
When she’s not working, Chef Evans enjoys live concerts. She recently saw Diana Ross perform live. (She is a huge fan!) She also enjoys lots of hands-on activities, like DIY and planting. And she’s not only a “plant mom” but a dog mom, and her Peekapoo is named after her favorite comic brand, Marvel.
Chef Evans’ education after high school started at UC Santa Barbara, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. Afterwards, she attended Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and went through their culinary and professional baking program.
Currently, Chef Evans is a graduate student at CSUN. She is in the process of earning two different credentials, and she has been a LATTC Culinary Advisor Board member for many years. She has been in education since 2018, but serving as our culinary teacher is the newest role for her in the last few years.
The best part about being a chef is that you can share with the world what you love doing most. In 2024, Chef Evans and her colleague hosted a dinner called Pears, Pearls & Prosecco for Women’s History Month, hosted by Regarding HER. This was an example of food storytelling, and themed courses were offered to celebrate. Chef Evans also won a humanitarian award during her undergrad from her Black Studies department.
In 2021, Chef Evans participated in a TV series called Tiny Food Fight on Food Network. How cool is that?!
When it comes to mastering a dish, it is not just taste that matters but how it looks, too. What even is cooking without beauty? Chef Evans knows exactly how to add beauty to her plates. She achieves this by combining her artistic and culinary skills, making every plate worth marveling, almost too sad to eat! As she truly stated, “Everything is visual, especially in culinary.”
Chef Evans’ plates are like painted canvases, featuring many different hues. “I like pretty things,” she said. “I like color.” She enjoys making pavlova, a meringue dish with lots of texture and flavor.
Growing up, Chef Evans and her family enjoyed cooking a lot. Her bond with her family initiated a spark that influenced her culinary career. Her grandmother mainly baked sweets, while her father cooked more savory foods. Her mother further influenced her sense of style and attraction to beautiful things. As she cooked with her grandmother and aunt, Chef Evans realized that was what she enjoyed doing, so she left a career in finance to pursue one in culinary.
Chef Evans’ father was her biggest inspiration in food. Although he may be no longer alive physically, he is still alive spiritually. Her relationship with him was so close that she still feels connected with him in the kitchen. She sometimes even hears his guidance while cooking.
Despite the stress that comes with culinary, Chef Evans has high hopes and does not scare off easily. She believes that everyone deserves kindness, and her advice for her students is to “be themselves and don’t be afraid to create new things.”
In her classroom, Chef Evans encourages her students to learn that “they are more powerful than they think.” The environment of a classroom also depends on how students function, and it “has to be a space where kids can feel comfortable.” She tries to be fair with each student, and she really loves what she does.
Chef Evans is happy to be here at GHS, and we are so fortunate to have her. She is a “forever learner” and pushes herself to be great in everything. She is an absolute queen and aspires to be better than a chef, but more of an inspiration to her students.
