Eats

There’s still time to sign up for the UK’s hottest wing eating contest in Manchester this month

No milk is allowed for two minutes after finishing the wings.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 12th September 2022

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’.

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?

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”.

Read more: The world’s biggest chicken wing festival is coming back to Manchester

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.

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.

“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.

You can grab tickets here.

Featured Image – Wing Fest UK

Eats

The UK’s best kebab is coming to Manchester as legendary shawarma bar announces Deansgate site

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

A brand-new shawarma bar is set to open its doors in Manchester this summer.

If you’re ever across the Pennines over in sunny Leeds, then you will have most likely heard of SQEW – a modern Lebanese-inspired eatery that has established itself as a cult-favourite amongst locals.

And it’s not just those Yorkshire folk who think it’s great, SQEW has recently been scooping up the accolades including most recently, Deliveroo’s Best Kebab of 2025.

The rumour mill has been turning for quite some time now but luckily for us they are in fact true, SQEW will be bringing its bold, elevated take on the kebab to 75 Deansgate, taking over the former Rola Wala site.

Owner of SQEW standing outside of his eatery in Leeds.
Images: The Manc Group

From humble beginnings to national recognition, SQEW was founded in 2015 by passionate chef and founder Mitch Renshaw, who wanted to give the often-overlooked kebab the love it truly deserves.

What began as a single idea serving slow-cooked meats and house-made sauces quickly boomed into a local sensation, eventually landing a permanent home in 2021 on Leeds’ Boar Lane.

Customers can expect a menu rooted in Lebanese flavours with a modern twist, all served with good old fashioned northern hospitality.

SQEW's new site on Deansgate.
Image: The Manc Group

Speaking about the expansion, Mitch Renshaw, Owner and Founder of SQEW, said: “Were absolutely thrilled to announce our move over the pennies. We’ve been searching for the perfect site since 2023, and when we came across 75 Deansgate we jumped at it. We have a few surprises up our sleeves for Manchester and can’t wait to reveal more. 

Having spent the last few weeks in Manchester, I’m brimming ear to ear, the people, the culture, the operators, we just can’t wait to be part of it.” 

The new site will feature an all-day shawarma bar concept with seating, takeaway, and delivery options – so you can get your SQEW fix however way you want it.

We’ll keep you updated with more details in the coming weeks, but you keep an eye on SQEW’s socials for more sneak peeks.

Read more: Bundobust and Madre announce bold new Indo-Mexican collaboration

Featured image – The Manc Group

Eats

Bundobust and Madre announce bold new Indo-Mexican collaboration

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall Madre and Bundobust are teaming up

Two of Manchester’s best-loved casual dining spots are joining forces for a limited-edition collaboration.

Bundobust and Madre will be teaming up this summer to create a menu inspired by two world-famous street food cultures – India, and Mexico.

The Indo-Mexican menu will feature dishes like ‘Naanchos’, and plenty of other Desi-flavoured Mexican dishes.

It’ll be mashing up iconic ingredients, techniques, and flavours, with a menu of brand new spice-packed dishes and cocktails combining Desi and Mexican influence.

So, what can we expect?

Mexican street food classics chimichanga and quesadillas get the Desi treatment, while Bundobust’s Indian street food favourites like chaat get a little Latino heat.

All paired with spicy summer-time cocktails, as a homage to Mexican drinking culture, plus the return of Bundobust Brewery’s new golden Cerveza, SANJA Mexican Lager.

We can’t think of a better place to spend our summer evenings to be quite honest.

On the menu there are crunchy Indo-Mexican ‘naanchos’, topped with salsa verde, crema, tamarind, onion, coriander, and a punchy pickle masala.

Madre and Bundobust are teaming up
Madre and Bundobust are teaming up
Naanchos, from the Bundobust x Madre menu
Naanchos, from the Bundobust x Madre menu

There’ll also be a ‘Tikkadilla’ – a corn tortilla packed with oyster mushrooms, red tikka sauce and Oaxaca cheese, with a side of desi birria sauce for dipping.

That’s alongside masala chimichanga, birria-ani, and corn chaat.

Then you can wash that down with a cashew colada, an avocado lassi, spicy mango margs and loads more.

The Indo-Mexican menu will be available at all Bundobust and Madre locations from Monday 14 July until Sunday 17 August 2025.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

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