Wing lovers flocking

Posted

Two Oceanside men, Matt Kourie and Rob Wittman, are not only good friends but they also share the love for a spectacular chicken wing. This alliance has turned the two musicians into full blown bona fide “Wing Hunters”. They have taken this vast wealth of knowledge for one of America’s favorite finger foods and appetizers and created a major Festival that will feature everything chicken wing and a whole lot more.

“Rob and I have been band mates and musicians for a long time,” Kourie said. “After rehearsals, it was our ritual to go for wings. We were wing lovers and wing nuts, like most people in America.”

The two launched their wing review website, BestWingsLI.com, publishing critiques along with links to local wing eateries and more.

Kourie explains, “First you need to have the passion to find the best wings on the planet. Next you have to realize this is not a solo journey. You need the support of the food community to steer you towards their favorite wing spots so a hunter can form his own judgment.

The pair started small, with their popular seasonal bash, Wings and Beer Fest, which also featured craft breweries, and worked their way up to their forthcoming event the New York Best Wings Festival.

In addition to wing-eating and other food-oriented competitions, including the College Wing Olympics, there will be amusements, face-painting, craft brewery tastings, music, shopping, and more, which lead up to the main event, which is the championship bout, where the most notable “Wing Men of NY” will serve as seasoned judges. That includes Kourie and Wittman along with Matt Reynolds, who is director and star of The Great Chicken Wing Hunt; Ryan Hohman, known as the Ultimate Wingman, and Bring the Wing’s Brian Dempsey.

With an expected crowd of 5,000, the inaugural New York Best Wings Festival will take place on June 7, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. at the NYCB Theater at Westbury in Westbury, NY. Advance tickets and custom packages to The New York Best Wings Festival can be purchased at www.NYBestWingsFestival.com.