Burger better be beautiful

“Fast food” got new meaning Thursday at Red Robin’s regional Burger Championship at the Spokane Valley Mall restaurant. Six contestants, from the chain’s branches at Wenatchee, Yakima, Kennewick, downtown Spokane, Newport Highway and Spokane Valley, each had exactly six minutes to make three gourmet cheeseburgers.

One by one, they took over the kitchen and proved that the craft of burger making is more than just a matter of slapping a slab of meat on a piece of bread.

Every aspect of the burger was scrutinized by the team of judges – the bun selected, whether the cheese was perfectly melted, how the burger was wrapped and if the accompanying fries were indeed piping hot.

The burger had to be “beautiful.”

“All the ingredients have to be fresh and visible,” said Lori Karstens, general manager of the Spokane Valley restaurant. “It has to be really neat.”

The cheeseburger in itself is a study in detail – two pieces of cheese, two slices of tomatoes, one slice of onion, four pieces of pickles and 1 ounce of shredded lettuce. The relish, mayonnaise and seasoning are carefully measured. Even fries that go into the basket with the burger are supposed to be weighed.

“People pay a lot of money for a burger, so it has to be perfect,” Karstens said.

Spectators from the contestants’ home restaurants watched the culinary performances on a large-screen TV outside the main cooking area, and there was humorous running commentary and upbeat music to egg on the contestants.

The six contestants had advanced to Thursday’s regional competition after beating team members in their own restaurants, Karstens said.

“This offers our team a way to shine and attests to our commitment to food safety and quality,” Karstens said.

Some of the contestants dressed up as boxers in line with the championship theme. But although the costumes were fake, the training was not. The contestants had coaches and had been practicing. They executed each move with precision, from seasoning the fries to arranging the fixings.

Mike Anderson, who works at the Spokane Valley restaurant, emerged as champion. He moves on to the semifinals in Seattle on Nov. 15. The national finals will be in Phoenix in January, featuring eight regional winners.

Anderson, who’s been at the restaurant for about five years and edged out the competition with 490 out of 600 possible points, said he had his coach to thank.

“I do it every day … (but) it’s a little nerve-racking when there’s a hundred people watching you,” he said.

For Ivan Tiznado of Wenatchee, it was silver once again – this was his second year in the competition and second time as runner-up.

“I don’t know what to do,” Tiznado said. “I’ve been trying my best.”

The restaurant chain has nearly 200 outlets around the nation. Winners of the national championship will win a trip for two and $1,500.