Adam Evans

Experience

Alabama native Adam Evans began his professional culinary career working summers as a line cook at The Grand Hotel in Fairhope, while attending college. At 21, he moved to New Orleans where he landed a cook's position at BACCO working under French chef Gerard Maras, which led to Evans helping to open Ralph’s on the Park. After traveling through Europe and a stint cooking at La Petit Grocery back in New Orleans, Evans joined Tom Colicchio’s team at Craft in New York City, working his way up the ranks. He took the helm at The Optimist in Atlanta in 2012, gaining national recognition, including Esquire’s Restaurant of the Year and Bon Appétit’s Top 10 Best New Restaurants. After launching Brezza Cucina with chef Jonathan Waxman, he returned home to Alabama where he and his wife Suzanne opened their first venture, Automatic Seafood & Oysters, housed in the former home of the Automatic Sprinkler Corporation manufacturing facility in the Lakeview neighborhood of Birmingham. Opened in 2019, their restaurant quickly garnered accolades from Esquire and Thrillist. Evans won the 2022 James Beard Award for Best Chef: South.