Matt Kourie and Rob Wittman are not only best friends but also share the love for a spectacular chicken wing.
This alliance has turned the two pals into full blown bona fide “Wing Hunters” who are turning their vast wealth of knowledge for one of America’s favorite finger foods and appetizers into a major Festival that will feature everything chicken wing and a whole lot more.
With an expected crowd of 5,000, the inaugural New York Best Wings Festival will take place on Sunday, June 7, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the NYCB Theater at Westbury.
The New York Best Wings Festivals, geared for the entire family to enjoy, will feature some of the premier restaurants in the New York Metropolitan Area whose wings have gained acclaim.
In addition to wing-eating and other food-oriented competitions, there will be amusements, face-painting, craft brewery tastings, leading up to the main event, where the most notable “Wing Men of NY” will serve as seasoned judges, including Kourie and Wittman along with Matt Reynolds, of The Great Chicken Wing Hunt; ultimate wingman Ryan Hohman, and Bring the Wing’s Brian Dempsey.
The road to the New York Best Wings Festival has been an interesting journey for the Oceanside residents. Kourie and Wittman began their quest a few years back to find the best chicken wings on Long Island, which soon led to the desire to share their knowledge with other wing fanatics.
The pair put their minds, and their money, on the line to create www.bestwingsli.com. The site is dedicated to the chicken wing with reviews and information that the two have accumulated and tasted over the last few years.
As their contacts with restaurants and fellow wing fanatics expanded, the creation of the Festival was the next logical step.
Kourie feels his travels as a Wing Hunter have given him the tools to present the definitive ode to the chicken wing. Kourie commented,
“First you need to have the passion to find the best wings on the planet, Kourie said. “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. Most importantly you have to have the adventurous spirt and palette to experience crazy flavors and cooking preparation. If you have what it takes it will lead to incredible discoveries and an amazing hobby you can share with your friends and family. We are bringing the best wings we have tasted to the Festival so every guest can consider themselves their own honorary Wing Hunters when they leave.”
