Local Red Robin chef wins first in national burger competition

CHUBBUCK — A man from Pocatello has placed first successful his company’s nationalist title to determine who tin make a burger pinch nan champion smile.

Joe Ross, Heart of House Warrior pinch nan Chubbuck Red Robin, won first spot and $10,000 connected July 15 successful nan Yummm Showdown, wherever Red Robin labor from crossed nan federation compete to find who tin make nan champion “Smiling” burger. The measurement that Ross explains it, this is simply a burger that looks truthful good, it could beryllium featured connected a commercial.

“The smiling burger intends from apical to bottommost and successful betwixt you spot each constituent connected that burger, whether it’s mayo, cheese, lettuce, tomato. Everything’s showing and it conscionable looks perfect,” Ross said.

Ross, who’s worked successful restaurants since he was fourteen, began moving astatine Red Robin 3 years ago. Originally applying to beryllium a waiter, he was alternatively hired arsenic a cook.

At nan aforesaid time, Ross started his travel to sobriety aft being accepted into Wood Court, a curen programme that helps those pinch constituent maltreatment addictions get backmost connected their feet. When he joined nan squad astatine Red Robin, Ross said that he felt needed.

“When you spell from progressive addiction to sobriety, it’s a really bully point to consciousness wanted and needed,” Ross said.

As of today, Ross has been wholly sober for 2 years.

As he spent clip learning nan ropes to move up and thatch caller employees, he was taught really to make a smiling burger. Ross hadn’t worked astatine galore burger places earlier Red Robin, truthful he focused connected this and worked connected making a burger that would make his customers smile.

“I’ve practiced and utilized tricks and tips from my bosses and aged bosses that worked there,” Ross said.

Ross uses a assortment of techniques to execute a smiling burger, for illustration taking clip to dispersed nan condiments connected nan bun each nan measurement to nan edges.

“It’s conscionable astir taking nan clip to springiness nan customer a beautiful burger,” Ross said.

One of nan burger Joe Ross made to qualify. | Courtesy Joe Ross

When this year’s Yummm-Off came around, Ross decided to effort his manus astatine competing. First, he had to suffice successful his ain restaurant, which was decided by his managers, and past done nan location qualifier, sending successful pictures of his burger to nan judges.

Ross said that erstwhile his location head approached him and told him she needed to talk astir nan competition, she “sounded a small said.”

But then, she said, “You’re going to person to get immoderate clip off, you’re going to Denver.”

In nan period earlier nan competition, Ross practiced arsenic overmuch arsenic he could.

“It was a batch of preparing, practicing, a batch of nerves. I didn’t cognize really what to expect,” Ross said.

Ross had heard a batch astir this competition, and location was only six group from each region that would beryllium competing. Once successful Denver, Ross sewage to walk clip pinch each of them and get to cognize them, including Arturo Mendoza, a well-known competitor who had won 3 retired of nan 4 times nan title was held.

“I deliberation a batch of group expected things to spell his measurement again,” Ross said.

Surprisingly, Ross recovered that he was astir calm erstwhile they started nan title and he was making his burger.

“As agelong arsenic I didn’t look up successful that crowd excessively much,” Ross said.

The competitors did 3 rounds, lasting 5 and a half minutes each, making a different burger connected nan Red Robin paper each time. The astir nerve-wracking portion for Ross was waiting for nan results to beryllium announced erstwhile nan rounds were complete.

When they said his name, it took a 2nd for Ross to recognize what nan announcer said. Ross’ managers rushed to nan shape and celebrated pinch him.

“They each went conscionable arsenic nuts arsenic I did proceeding that I won,” Ross said.

But Ross said that nan champion portion was getting backmost location to his woman and children astatine nan Idaho Falls airport. They had each made signs welcoming him back, pinch smiles connected their faces.

“As soon arsenic I walked retired of nan airport, they were location pinch their signs, greeting me, grabbing my bags and that was nan happiest (moment),” Ross said.

Ross is proud to person won nan title representing his region.

“We could’ve had a victor from immoderate large spot for illustration California aliases Texas aliases nan East Coast, but we sewage personification from present successful Idaho,” he said.