Four local bakers advance to national competition in Franklin, TN on Thursday, September 19

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Baking the perfect Hardee's Made from Scratch biscuit is an art that requires a level of craftmanship, passion and technique. Over the past few weeks, four local Hardee's bakers showcased their master-level skills as they beat out the competition in the semi-finals of the national Hardee's Biscuit Baker Competition.

Today, Hardee's announces the four finalists who will move on to compete in the national Biscuit Baker Competition on Thursday, September 19 in Franklin, TN, headquarters of CKE Restaurants, which is the parent company of Hardee's and Carl's Jr. The four finalists will compete for a chance to win the title of 2024 Biscuit Baker Competition Champion and a $10,000 prize.

Representing their local franchisee but all embodying the brand's spirit of "Goodness in the Making," the following bakers will compete in the national competition.

1. Frank Martinez, representing Weaverville, NC and Mountain Star, LLC
2. Jaycie Stambaugh, representing Spring Valley, PA and Restaurant Management Corporation
3. Michael Leezy, representing Hannibal, MO and Tristar Franchise Group
4. Heather Holthaus, representing Glen Burnie, MD and OTAC Franchise Group

"Biscuit bakers are a meaningful part of the communities where they work and the biscuits, that they rise at 4:00 a.m. to bake every morning, are how many people start their day," said Chris Bode, president of Hardee's. "The semi- finals of the national Biscuit Baker Competition demonstrate the expertise and knowledge of the biscuit bakers. They are evaluated and judged based on several criteria, including visual appearance, color, texture and taste of their biscuits. The four finalists should be extremely proud of their accomplishment and making it to the final round of competition."

The semi-finals were proceeded by a series of local and regional competitions. The final four bakers were selected based on their knowledge of procedures and their ability to prepare a batch of 52 biscuits in 15 minutes. The competition also serves as an annual recertification in Hardee's proprietary biscuit baking procedures.

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About Hardee's
Home of Goodness in The Making, Hardee's is known for wholesome, hand-crafted menu items such as Made from Scratch Biscuits, Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders and charbroiled 100 percent Angus Beef burgers. Together with its franchisees, Hardee's operates approximately 1,600 restaurants across the U.S. and has a presence in 13 countries worldwide. Hardee's has been bringing people together with classic flavors and hometown pride for more than 60 years. For more information about Hardee's, please visit .

About CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.
CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., a privately held company based in Franklin, Tennessee, runs and operates Carl's Jr. and Hardee's restaurants, two beloved brands, known for premium and innovative menu items such as iconic charbroiled burgers, Made from Scratch Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders. With both a U.S. and international footprint, Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee's Restaurants LLC have more than 3,600 franchised or company-operated restaurants domestically and more than 35 international markets and U.S. territories. For more information about CKE, please visit or its brand sites at and .

SOURCE CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.