The Locke family and Highland Avenue announced the promotion of Max Evans to sous chef. Evans will assist with the management of restaurant operations as well as banquet events at The Crossing at Hollar Mill.

Having worked for many years in Charlotte, North Carolina, at catering companies, hotels, and fine dining restaurants, Evans has honed his personal philosophy on hospitality and the guest experience.

"Since I've joined the Hollar Mill team I have been overcome by a sense of community. It's extremely rewarding to make amazing food from fantastic ingredients sourced from our friends and neighbors. It's not hard to taste the love in food when it’s made by a family,” Chef Evans says.

Evans was born and raised in Cincinnati, where he got a head start on his culinary career by attending a vocational high school focusing on culinary arts. After graduation, Evans moved to Charlotte to attend Johnson & Wales University. After earning his Associates in Culinary Arts, Evans accepted the position of sous chef at The Flipside Café in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Highland Avenue opened in 2013 and is part of the Carolina Moon Hospitality family of restaurants. Located in Hollar Mill at 883 Highland Avenue SE in Hickory, the restaurant serves dinner Monday through Saturday and is also available for luncheons and special events.

Evans began working for Highland Avenue in April 2015 and quickly became an essential part of the team.