El Pollo Loco Announces Top Cook At It's 14th Annual Perfect Pollo Challenge Cook-off

First time participant Raymundo Salas from Artesia, California captures top honors

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA (Monday, November 28, 2005) - In a sizzling finish to months of regional competitions to select the top cook from El Pollo Loco’s 330 restaurants, the nation’s flame-grilled chicken leader awarded Raymundo Salas from Artesia, California, the title of Grand Grill Master at its 14th Annual Perfect Pollo Challenge held November 15th in Los Angeles, California.

The cook-off brought together the top six finalists selected from over 1,000 cooks across the chain. The annual event is hosted by El Pollo Loco and pays tribute to the grilling expertise that put it on the map. The finalists demonstrated their skill as they fired up the grills in hopes of winning the esteemed title of Grand Grill Master for the El Pollo Loco chain. Salas, the first place winner, is a three-year veteran of El Pollo Loco and first time participant in the company’s Perfect Pollo Challenge. He works at the chain’s franchise restaurant in Artesia, California and was awarded a cash prize of $2000.00, a trophy, a competition jacket, a personalized grilling fork and the prestige of being named El Pollo Loco’s 2005 Grand Grill Master.

Salas’ restaurant is one of 29 in the Los Angeles area owned by WKS Restaurant Corporation, El Pollo Loco’s largest franchise operator. Over the next few years, WKS has plans to expand the El Pollo Loco brand in Phoenix, Arizona.

Second place in El Pollo Loco’s Perfect Pollo Challenge was awarded to Demetrio Jurado of Los Angeles, California and third place went to Daniel Robles of South Gate, California. Runner-ups included Oscar Huante of Phoenix, Arizona, Alejandro Lopez of Sacramento, California, and Mario Chavez of Santa Ana, California.

“We are exceptionally proud of the skill demonstrated by this year’s finalists,” said Steve Carley, president and CEO of El Pollo Loco, Inc. “Grilling perfect chicken is truly an art that separates El Pollo Loco from other concepts that offer chicken. Most importantly, our Perfect Pollo Challenge gives us the opportunity to honor the best of the best at El Pollo Loco, the talented cooks who delight our customers every day with delicious, perfectly grilled chicken.”

A panel of chicken connoisseurs from across the company, which included three-time Perfect Pollo Challenge champion, Nazario Leal, and Matt Cedeno, the “Master of the El Pollo Loco Flame” featured in the chain’s commercials, judged the finalists on their technique in several areas, from preparing the chicken, to cooking, cutting and presenting it to the judges. The finished product was judged on both appearance and flavor using El Pollo Loco’s standards of excellence.

El Pollo Loco’s Perfect Pollo Challenge is an annual event that honors and celebrates the company’s flame-grilling expertise, a legacy that began 30 years ago in the small town of Guasave on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.

El Pollo Loco currently operates 330 restaurants (a combination of company- and franchise-owned locations) in five states-- California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas and Illinois.

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