We recently connected with Raehanna Evans and have shared our conversation below.
Raehanna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
It all started at 7 years old when my grandma taught me how to make my first dish, deviled eggs. I had always been in the kitchen sitting at the barstools watching timeless classics while my grandmother would cook. I usually would help in the kitchen regularly but this was the first time I got to make something of my own. I love the smile on peoples faces with the nourishment from the food I serve. It gives me a sense of home and satisfaction to know I created that experience. Thats where a lot of my love, laughter, and joyous memories with loved ones come from, in the kitchen.
Growing up I knew I had a passion for cooking but I didnt know or have the tools on how I could make an honest living by just cooking. When it was time to attend college I relied more on my academic passion for mathematics and numbers to obtain my degree in Finance from Unc Charlotte. Three weeks prior to graduation I made 2 big decisions. One being to cut all of my beautiful hair off and two to enroll in culinary school and pursue my Chef dreams.
Who wouldve thought 3 weeks prior to obtaining my degree in Finance I would take the risk and continue school but with another passion in mind. I knew I didnt need the degree behind me to pursue the dream but I did this to prove my credibility and pay homage to the art in itself. Culinary school allowed me to prove not only to myself but everyone around that as long as you follow your passion you will succeed.
My love for food and numbers all came together by understanding that enjoying life is truly about taking risks with your passions. Here I am today, a financial analyst for an amazing company while also running my own catering business. I have had the opportunity to mentor many upcoming chefs, share recipes, be featured on Abc Free Enterprise Network as well as Carolina’s Youth Coalition Events. When I’m not busy catering parties, luncheons, and dinners I am featured at Charlotte Regional Farmer’s market helping showcase King of Foods products as a Demo Chef. I also have had the opportunity to have my business on Doordash and Ubereats platforms as well.
Being a business owner and financial analyst is definitely not an easy rollercoaster but the ride is definitely worth it. Believing in yourself and your success are key elements to withstanding all the hardships and having the right support makes the battle much easier. But one day sooner than later my passions will enable me to take another big risk and have my own brick and mortar restaurant to create that true In Da’ Kitchen experience! “Allow your passion to become your purpose and it will one day become your profession” – Gabriel Bernstein
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am from Goldsboro, NC, home of the Seymour Johnson Air force base. Growing up, I often helped prepare meals, tutoring others in math, and staying busy with extracurricular activities. I graduated from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance in 2017. In April of 2017, my heart spoke and I took a leap of faith by enrolling at Central Piedmont Community College to obtain my Culinary degree. On May 16th, 2019 I received my Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts and started my catering business In’ Da Kitchen LLC.
My dreams started to come to fruition. I believe my purpose has always been to work with numbers, as well as putting smiles on people’s faces with my delicious meals.
The different health issues myself and family endured due to the meals consumed made me wonder, “ What can I do to fix that? As I thought about how I could help, it brought me back to where it all started, In Da’ Kitchen. The love, comfort, and energy I receive from being In Da’ Kitchen is the same way I plan to help others better their eating habits.
In Da’ Kitchen provides catering to events up to 150 people, Private Chef Events, and are available for ordering on Ubereats… We do it all!
Check out what’s cookin’ In Da’ Kitchen on our social platforms(instagram/tiktok: @indakitchenllc)or our website (indakitchenllc.com)
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the idea that being a chef was not good money. You dont have to succumb to the normalities of society in order to make a living. Growing up we were always taught you have to get a “good job” to make good money and being a chef was never considered under the “good money” category. This all stems from society placing workers in the service industry below the corporate belt in terms of pay as well as status. I quickly unlearned this when it was my turn to jump in the culinary wind and spread my wings. There are so many great opportunities as well as learning lessons that has allowed me to stay in business and grow these past 5 years. They have all proven to me, this day and age is different and more driven by people and their passion. Needless to say, you truly can turn your passion into your profession and embrace your wildest dreams.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the biggest pivots of my culinary career was when I quit my work from home job as an order analyst to become a full time Sous Chef at a well known lounge and restaurant . It was a struggle getting adjusted to the late hours, chaotic atmosphere, and managing a team of my own. It also allowed me to see exactly what I did and did not want for my own business. Even though there were so many things that couldve made me go insane I stayed the course and remained calm no matter the circumstances. This was a challenge for sure but I was up for it in order to gain even more real world experience on running my own team . It gave me the confidence to know that I will one day become a great leader to my own restaurant . And even though I thought working for this lounge would take my culinary career where I wanted I realized it was just a stepping stone and not my end all be all. After working there for a while I realized it was time to move on and pursue other avenues to get my name and catering business out there. I started another job and now work from home as a financial analyst because of the flexibility with my catering business.
Contact Info:
- Website: Indakitchenllc.com
- Instagram: Indakitchenllc
- Other: Tiktok: indakitchenllc
Image Credits
Darnell Mccoy