A TASTE OF STARDOM
Monty Tech culinary grad finds sweet success on social media
Evan Martin is going to be a big star in the world of culinary arts.
He’s a rising social media influencer with dreams of food television and a warm, largerthan-life personality to help him get there. But he’s not a diva — he prides himself on being “the nicest chef”, helping others to learn and grow, and bringing out the best in people.
Martin is a 2011 Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School graduate of the Culinary Arts shop and knew his path when he was a child. In middle school hewould cook for his family, experimenting in the kitchen. He knew long before he went that hewould go tomonty Tech to help hone his skills.
“At a young age the kitchen was andstill iswhat inspiresme every day!”, Martin said.
His day job is currently as an executive chef at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in downtown Boston, but when restaurants and hotels closed with the COVID-19 pandemic and Martin was laid off from the Hilton West Palmbeach in Florida, he pivoted to social media.
Martin’s Tiktok account (@ theflavors) is quickly approaching 200,000 followers and over three million likes and his Instagram (@theflavors) is also popular, with over 117,000 followers. He posts recipes online where his passion for food shows through in the brief video clips and images, highlighting techniques that are easy for the home chef while using farm-totable, accessible ingredients.
He’s transparent about the product placements and advertising partnerships that provide himwith some revenue fromhis social media and is excited that he’s getting new brand deals almost daily.
“Being a Black creator is difficult, but having a strong community that backs me makes it that much easier to achieve my goals!”, Martin said.
This past July, he appeared on “Supermarket Stakeout,” chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s cooking competition on Food Network. It whet his appetite for more food television.
A Fitchburg native who currently lives in Leominster, Martin was a guest judge on Fitchburg Access Television’s “Forks Over Fitchburg” program for a student chef competition at Monty Tech. Eight students attempted to produce a winning dish. Martin provided thought
ful feedback to the culinary arts students, offering words of encouragement.
He’s been asked to be on more tv shows as a result of these gigs and because of what he considers to be the “amazing support from amazing people all around the world” for his social media.
“Being on TV is what I love most, it is so surreal, being able to see what it takes to put on a full production show … it’s truly spectacular,” he said.
Martin attended Monty Tech with his twin brother, where both were standouts in football, basketball, and track and field. Martin held several leadership positions at Monty Tech, serving as co- captain of the football team and class president.
He credits Monty Tech for a wonderful high school experience. “You will have the knowledge that most college students don’t even get at their school. You will have better understanding of the food industry not just the back of the house,” he said about the benefits of a technical education.
Many Monty Tech students go directly to the workplace after graduation. Martin decided to go to college at New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont to further his culinary education.
“I believe you should be like a sponge and absorb as much knowledge as you can, so it was a no-brainer to continue my education and become the best that I can be!”, he said.
He has worked as an executive chef at many highend establishments, including the Ritz- Carlton in Naples, Florida.
Martin said that career pathways for culinary arts are varied; it’s more than just restaurants, bakeries, and bars. He mentioned food photography, styling, content creation, health advising, or — his favorite, of course — food television.
Martin is ambitious and intends to continue to grow his career as an executive chef while building his social media and television presence. He said he has the ability and confidence to stand up with the best chefs in the industry. Ultimately, he would love to be a celebrity chef, so he can be on television and social media but also be in the kitchen as well, inspiring others to “get inspired as I was when I was younger.”
“I am one that is going to do what others don’t believe I can achieve,” he said. “I will definitely continue on this path! I see my career blasting off!”