OREGON, Ohio — Lettuce, mayo, pickle and patience are just a few of the ingredients that won a local fast food employee $10,000.
Tahreem Gear, of Oregon, is this year's Whopper Champion. She won the Burger King Corporation's "Whopper Challenge" in Florida where employees from across North America competed "to see who create the best 'Gold Standard' flame-grilled Whopper sandwich."
She went through a series of competitions to make it to the finals.
"I submitted a video submission back in June and I made it past round one, then I did a second one and it made it past round two and then for round three I went to Miami and competed against five other finalists," Gear said. "I stayed calm and I won the title of best whopper maker."
Alongside the title and cash prize, Gear also won the 2023 Whopper Challenge trophy.
She said making Burger King's flagship menu item takes skill.
"It is six ingredients and you have to make sure that they are perfect," Gear said. "There are four pickles, two tomatoes, three onions, you have to make sure that mayonnaise is all the way covering the bun and you have to make sure it's the right weight and temperature so that it's hot and fresh for the customer."
She competed against more than 500 Burger King employees in all of North America, including Canada.
The division finalists are judged on the temperature, weight, speed, build and appearance of their burgers.
Gear's Burger King crew in Oregon said it's an honor that only one person can claim.
"There are a lot of people who enter into the competition and for her to make it all the way to Miami and then actually win it has just made us all so proud and it's just a great accomplishment for her," said Wendy Helfrich, Burger King Senior District Manager.
Gear plans to use her winnings on something new, something old and something borrowed.
"It's very special to me because the only reason I submitted into the challenge is because my fiance did it before and I wanted to make it farther than he did," she said. "I'm very happy to share this accomplishment with my fiance and for us to be able to have the wedding of our dreams."
Gear apply for the contest next year, too, so she can be the best whopper maker in North America for two years in a row.