Warrenton local and Denny’s chef, Brian Frazer, won a franchise-wide culinary challenge and was named ‘Cook of the Year.’ Organized by California-based Denny’s franchisee WKS Restaurant Group, the companywide competition was a two-part event that gave Denny’s chefs the chance to compete for ‘Cook of the Year’ and a grand prize package featuring an official trophy, a custom cook jacket and $1,000 in cash.“I was honored to be a part of this challenge and represent the Warrenton community and our Denny’s team,” said Frazer, who is a chef at the Denny’s located at 429 E. Veterans Memorial Parkway.“I’ve been with the company since 2013 and this was my second year participating. It was a great opportunity to work with new faces and also served as a chance to learn new techniques and skills in the kitchen.”The tiered competition began with district-level challenges that ran from April to June with over 30 chefs from various Denny’s restaurants in California, Nebraska, Missouri and Illinois vying for a spot at the championship.Cooks in each district completed a written, verbal and cooking test, with the cook that scored the highest in each district, including Frazer, winning $300, a limited-edition chef’s uniform and the opportunity to advance forward to the final round.The four district finalists, including Frazer, Transito Mafra of Corona, Calif., Ulises Bernal of Omaha, Neb. and Steven Aylor of O’Fallon, Ill., competed in the three-hour final round at Denny’s in Claremont, Calif. Judged by Stephen Shubinski, Denny’s franchise business coach, the final competition challenged competitors on a set of criteria all relating to brand standards such as recipes, portioning quality and cook times.“We are thrilled to give our cooks a chance to showcase their skills and knowledge on behalf of our Denny’s restaurants,” said Charlene Lopez, senior operations manager for WKS Restaurant Group.“This year’s competition featured several talented individuals, and Brian Frazer excelled. We were proud to award him ‘Cook of the Year’ and the grand prize package.”Brian Frazer