There’s still time to stick your name down to take part in a super spicy wing eating contest that’s returning to our city by popular demand this month.
And you can even sign-up on the day too, if you’re feeling spontaneous – and brave – enough.
Big fan of wings? Consider yourself somewhat of a chicken wing connoisseur? Fancy uniting with thousands of other wing lovers at the world’s biggest chicken wing festival in just a couple of months? Well, you’re in luck – Wing Fest is returning to a popular Greater Manchester location in just a few weeks time, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
Wing Fest 2022 is set to bring together the UK’s very-best to serve up a whopping 200,000 wings over a two-day period.
In what is always one of the biggest events in the calendar for the region’s foodies, Wing Fest 2022 will this year taking place at The Trafford Centre on Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 September, and here you’ll find 20 different street food traders, restaurants, BBQ teams, and pop-ups from across the country serving up their signature bites, as well as the UK’s finest chicken experts showcasing their culinary skills in a bid to be crowned the ‘Wing King or Queen’.
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There’ll also be bars selling different bourbons and beers, axe-throwing stations, fairground rides, and live music and DJs to set the party atmosphere across the weekend.
But the festival itself is not the only thing making a comeback – what is Wing Fest without an eating challenge?
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Wing Fest 2022 is set to bring together the UK’s very-best chicken experts and wing lovers / Credit: Wing Fest UK
If you really claim to be a true wing aficionado, and reckon you can handle the heat, then you’ll probably want to consider taking part in the event’s popular wing eating competitions, which take place on both days of the festival.
The Lava Wing Challenge – which is this year hosted by Food Review Club and hot sauce legends Clifton Chili Club – sees brave and hungry individuals compete against one another on the main stage to see who can eat the most, and festival organisers proudly say it “causes carnage every year”.
It’s also considered to be “the hottest wing eating challenge in the UK”.
But just how hot are the Lava Wings then? Well, Clifton Chilli Club brews and strengthens the infamous Lava Sauce over a 12-month period and use 15 years of chilli-growing experience to deliver this world-beating, and apparently quite tasty, liquid of fire.
The rules for the eating challenges are simple.
The Lava Wing Challenge sees brave and hungry people compete on the main stage to see who can eat the most / Credit: Wing Fest UK
All you’ll need to do is eat eight Lava Wings as quickly as possible, with the bones sufficiently cleaned, and then you have to wait and feel the burn of the spicy sauce for two minutes, with the first person to complete the two minutes being crowned the winner.
While you can’t drink any milk or water during the challenge, and will need to wait until after, all participants will be provided with safety equipment.
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And remember – do not touch your eyes.
Those taking part in the challenge this year will be up against the two-time champion of the Manchester Wing Fest Lava Wing Competition, Andrew McJimpsey aka The Dizzy Scot, who has confirmed he will be back for more in 2022, and he’s already calling the event the “highlight of [his] year”.
Offering some tips for those looking to take him on, Andrew said: “I think that goes without saying that you have to love wings – but in addition, you have to love the burn. The wings themselves are unbelievably hot.
“Think of the hottest thing you have ever tried and times it by 100 and you’re still not even close to how hot they are.
It’s considered to be “the hottest wing eating challenge in the UK” / Credit: Wing Fest UK
“My secret is something you can’t teach.
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“When my body says “give up” my mind says, “this is where winners are made” and when the mind says, “give up”, my heart says “this is where champions are made.”
“As I always say, “you may take my tastebuds, but you will never take my freedom.”
Keen to give it a go then? To get involved in the Wing Fest 2022 Manchester Lava Wings Challenge, you’ll just need to grab a ticket for the festival and then sign up on the day at the event to enter the challenge.
“We have made the difficult decision to move on from our All The Shapes. Some of you will already know about this, but we wanted to get it out there officially so that we can start to say our farewells good and proper over the next few weeks.
“It’s been 11 beautiful years at ATS but, for some personal reasons, we need to step away from hospitality and reset our lives. It is the right time for us.
“However, listen up! We are selling the place! Would anyone like to take it up? How about a group/couple of you? You’ll get a turnkey business with everything in place to get up and running. It’s a beautiful building, long term lease (all negotiable) with fair and committed landlords and, as you know, a prime Prestwich spot.
“Quite frankly we need to move with ease and speed so we are open to offers and conversations. Please get in contact via the DMs and we will be here to answer anything you need.
Legendary Manchester bakery Gooey opens second cafe on Oxford Road
Daisy Jackson
Manchester’s beloved bakery and brunch spot Gooey has opened its second location in Manchester city centre.
The bakery is famed for its chunky freshly-baked cookies, its pillow-soft doughnuts, and its sticky, icing-topped cinnamon rolls, as well as viral brunch dishes.
And now it’s expanded with a second cafe of its own, down at Circle Square on Oxford Road.
For the first time ever, you’ll be able to get your hands on a Gooey meal deal – a homemade sandwich to go, one of their famous cookies, and a drink, for £10.50.
Take out sandwich fillings include chicken Caesar, deli classics, and egg salad.
And exclusive to this new location are speciality drinks, like French toast iced lattes and strawberry matcha.
That’s alongside all the brunch favourites such as gigantic cubes of French toast stuffed with dulce de leche, gooey egg sandos on toasted Shokupan bread, avo on toast, and perfect hash browns.
Gooey has taken over the old Doug’s site, a burger joint which has quietly departed the city in the last year.
The new Gooey siteGooey on Oxford Road, ManchesterThe new Gooey meal dealGooey’s viral French toast and cinnamon bunsDoughnuts and cookiesThe exclusive new iced specialty drinksGooey is now open at Circle Square
It joins a thriving local food and drink scene at Circle Square that includes Onda, Federal, Hello Oriental, Half Dozen Other, and Monkey Trio.
This is Gooey’s biggest site yet at 70 covers, joining its existing cafe in the Northern Quarter as well as its kiosks across the North West (Manchester Airport, Ducie Street Warehouse, Selfridges Trafford Centre, and in Liverpool).
To celebrate their opening, Gooey will be giving away 100 free sandwiches,100 free iced matcha and 200 cookies from midday on Thursday 14 May.
Charlotte Wild, associate retail director at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “The Gooey kiosk was a huge success in Circle Square and we are pleased that the team is now moving to a bigger unit to bring even more sweet baked treats to Circle Square.
“The new cafe looks great and the increased capacity will ensure even more customers can enjoy the delicious menu. We are delighted to support the success of a local home grown brand as it continues its expansion.”
Gooey is open daily seven days a week, from 8am to 5pm, at No.1 Circle Square on Oxford Road.
Emily Sergeant -
12th September 2022 
