By Scott Cronick
How can Atlantic City Wing Fest, which sells out every year, become even better in 2024?
Add more wings, of course!
The annual event, which is once again sold out for Saturday, Feb. 3, at Golden Nugget Atlantic City, will feature a record 21 of South Jersey’s best restaurants and pubs offering the most creative and finger-licking wings and dipping sauces to go with awesome music, fun contests, awards, craft beer, cocktails and more!
If you were smart enough to get your tickets early – and after consecutive sellout after sellout, you better buy early at this point – you will not only be able to eat wings that range from the mild to hot to Asian- and Caribbean-inspired to sweet to spicy and everything in between, but The Billy Walton Band, one of the most rocking cover bands in the tri-state area, will make its Wing Fest debut!
Those who bought Early Admission Tickets get to arrive at noon, giving them a jump on those with General Admission tickets, who will be able to join the festivities at 1 p.m.
Golden Nugget will offer a stellar bar featuring specialty cocktails and craft beer, and there may even be a few retail vendors to kick things up a notch this year.
Please remember to support all 21 contestants vying for Wing Supremacy with wing orders for the Super Bowl.
If you are attending, you can choose your favorite wing of the day since you will also serve as a judge. Attendees will receive a poker chip to vote for your fave. Just drop it in the token box at the restaurant’s wing booth, and they will be all counted to see who wins three Eaters Choice Awards.
There are also several special Fat Boy Munch Club Awards by Journalist Ryan Loughlin and Wing Fest Founder, Organizer and Journalist Scott Cronick, including Best Overall Dipping Sauce, Fancy Pants Dipping Sauce, Fancy Pants Wing, Damn, Those Wings Are Hot!, Best Wing and Dipping Sauce Combo, Most Dapper Display and Best Classic Wing.
And now for the most important awards: Three judges (see sidebar) from the Philadelphia area will rate all of the wings in a blind judging procedure that will determine the Top 3 Judges Choice Awards, including Wing King (or Queen).
Sean Patrick, a stellar DJ and personality from 103.7-FM WMGM Rocks, will co-host the event with Cronick, and sponsors for 2024 include Visit Atlantic City, OceanFirst Bank, Paris Produce, Golden Nugget and WMGM Rocks!
Atlantic City Wing Fest will certainly be one for the culinary ages. Here are the 21 wing contestants and their offerings so you can do a little homework before the big day.
A.C. Burger Co. & Deli at Harrah’s Resort
When you come to Atlantic City Wing Fest, you certainly get your money’s worth in a lot of ways. And one of those ways is to experiment and try flavors you never even heard of before. At the top of the list is the entry from A.C. Burger Co. & Deli at Harrah’s, which is offering something Wing Fest – or maybe any wing competition in the country – has never had: Ethiopian Spiced Wings with Crunchy Cucumber Salad. The wing will feature a sauce consisting of coconut milk, curry tomatoes and Barbere, an Ethiopian spice mixture that will also be in the dry rub Harrah’s team is using to really pack the flavor. And instead of a dipping sauce, their talented team is accompanying the wings with a crunchy cucumber salad with chives and cilantro as well as some jalapeno for heat. We love it!
(A.C. Burger Co. & Deli is located inside Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City. Go to Caesars.com)
Bill’s Bar & Burger at Golden Nugget
Bill’s Bar & Burger always scores well thanks to its traditional approach. Their wing is sweet and savory and hits the spot, and its straightforward blue cheese has the perfect combination of blue cheese crumbles, mayo, sour cream and some seasonings. The awesome American comfort joint inside Golden Nugget may be best known for their burgers, but their wings are killer, too. Sometimes, a simple, old-school approach is just what the Wing Doctor ordered.
(Bill’s is located inside Golden Nugget Atlantic City Hotel, Casino & Marina. Go to GoldenNugget.com)
Careme’s Restaurant at the Academy of Culinary Arts
Last year, the Academy of Culinary Arts had a great idea to show them that the food industry in a different way by introducing them to an event like Wing Fest. It was such a success story that they are doing it again! With Academy Director Joe Sheridan guiding them, student teams once again competed in a wing-off, and the winners from 2023 won again in 2024. Students Bill Fence and Julio Gomez came up with Korean Barbecue Wings featuring brown sugar, Gochujang, oyster sauce, tamari and ginger root, plus a Kimchi Mayonnaise Sauce to dip ’em in. Now, the students will work at Wing Fest where they can be proud of their creation, and yes, have fun! And, who knows, maybe these wings will end up on Careme’s menu later in the semester if they win some awards!!
(Careme’s is located at the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College, 5100 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing. Go to Atlantic.edu/aca/Caremes)
Cuzzie’s Pizzeria Kitchen
Chef Charles Soreth at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall collaborated in the lab with Culinary Mastermind and Cuzzie’s Pizzeria Kitchen Co-Owner Lee Sanchez for this Italian-inspired submission, which fits the theme of the Tennessee Avenue-based pizza and sub joint. Cuzzie’s Pizzeria Kitchen shows its roots with Smoked Tomato Wings featuring roasted tomato, garlic, onion, brown sugar and molasses, accompanied by Garlic Parm Aioli with roasted garlic, parmesan cheese, mayo and some secret goodness. Sounds – and looks – delizioso!
(Cuzzie’s is located at 131 S. Tennessee Ave., Atantic City. Go to CuzziesPizzeria.com.)
Dos Caminos at Golden Nugget
One of the newcomers to the Nugget making their Wing Fest debut is Dos Caminos, which is really showing its Mexican roots and creativeness, offering one of the most unique wings and dipping sauces you will find at this year’s event. Dos is bringing Pastor Marinated Honey Chipotle Wings with a Charred Scallion Crema. Wing Fest has never had anything like it before, and we can’t wait to see what everyone things about them, including our independent judges.
(Dos Caminos is located inside Golden Nugget Atlantic City Hotel, Casino & Marina. Go to GoldenNugget.com)
DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts Casino Hotel
When you think wings, you think football, and is there a better place to grab some wings and watch some football, including next week’s Super Bowl, than DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts Casino Hotel? Executive Chef Robert Levenson and Executive Sous Chef David Wong put together an amazing – yet simple – wing recipe that will aim to prove that traditional is the way to go when it comes to winning Atlantic City Wing Fest. DraftKings Buffalo wings feature a mixture of some killer hot sauces and lots of butter, and they will serve it with some pickled celery and a relatively straightforward blue cheese dressing, which DraftKings regulars rave about. In the past, the judges have skewed more traditional in their votes, so we will see if this move is as strategic as it is delicious!
(DraftKings is located inside Resorts Casino Hotel, Atlantic City. Go to ResortsAC.com)
Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Atlantic City
When you have Gordon Ramsay in the house – with two restaurants, actually – you should use that to your advantage. And Caesars Atlantic City, which could have also come up with something cool with its other new brand, Nobu, as well, is going with Gordon Ramsay’s Pub & Grill wing recipe, which has been tasted and tested around the globe and met with critical acclaim. The Brown Ale and Molasses Glazed Wing offers just a bit of heat thanks to some fresh jalapenos perfectly balanced with sweetness from the molasses and diced apples topped with some blue cheese crumbles to complete the experience. While Ramsay won’t be at Wing Fest, Caesars Food & Beverage Vice President Bill Fritz will be, and that’s enough to put Caesars over the top.
(Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill is located inside Caesars Atlantic City. Go to CaesarsAC.com)
Holy City Publick House
One thing about Atlantic City Wing Fest is that it’s always full of surprises.
One of those surprises came last year when an out of towner – for the second time Wing Fest has been in existence – came out of nowhere to win the 1st Place Judge’s Award along with some others. That was Holy City Publick House from Gloucester City. The boys from Gloucester are back defending their Wing Fest championship, wisely sticking to the wings that brought them home the big winner’s plaque: Chiodi Wings, a killer concoction made with maple syrup, fresh garlic and parsley, cayenne peppers and even some parmesan cheese, accompanied by a new dipping sauce, Poblano Ranch, with mayo, buttermilk, poblano peppers and a bunch of secret spices. Will Holy City repeat? Not if the other 20 restaurants have anything to say about it!
(Holy City is located at 332 Jersey Ave., Gloucester City. Go to HolyCityPublickHouse.com)
Hooters
What would a wing contest be without Hooters involved? And, luckily, Atlantic City Wing Fest attendees have never had to wonder since Hooters has been loyal to Wing Fest since Day One thanks to their awesome GM Ronnie Disalvo and his fantastic team. Hooters devotees have learned that the brand known for its beautiful servers along with its stellar pub food has tons of choices when it comes to wings, and Hooters always offers something different at every Wing Fest, whether it was their awesome chipotle honey style or signature traditional styles. The attractive servers are just a bonus. This year, Hooters from the Tropicana Atlantic City will bring their 3 Mile Island Wing Sauce, a fantastically flavored recipe that also packs a punch thanks to its jalapeno peppers, aged cayenne and red pepper. Dunk those spicy thangs into their Rockin’ Ranch Dipping Sauce to cool things down.
(Hooters is located inside the Tropicana Atlantic City. Go to NortheastHooters.com)
Il Porcellino Italian Market
One of our great participants is the new Il Porcellino Italian Market in Egg Harbor Township. But Robert Hettmannsperger, Carey Strecker Hettmannsperger and their team are no strangers to the event as they have participated since its inception with Essl’s Dugout.
Il Porcellino will offer a Cacio e Pepe Roasted Chicken Wing with grated parmesan, Italian parsley and a Calabrian chili glaze that is sure to impress everyone while showing wings can have an Italian flair, too.
(Il Porcellino Italian Market is located in the Cardiff Plaza Shopping Center, 6701 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township.. Go to Il-Porcellino.com)
Island Waterpark at Showboat Atlantic City
If you haven’t been to the Island Waterpark at Showboat, we aren’t sure what you are waiting for, but if you have been there – or plan to go – you will experience a tropical oasis right in the middle of Atlantic City. PC Event Services, the restaurant company behind a slew of restaurants at Showboat – wants your tropical experience to be complete by offering the best Island Style Jerk Wings you will have this side of Jamaica. The Island Waterpark is keeping things real with no dipping sauce, letting all of the flavors of that Carribbean-style jerk seasoning do all the talking they need to appeal to you and the judges. With the weather being what it has been this winter, we need all the tropical reminders we can get.
(PC Event Services operates numerous restaurants inside Showboat Atlantic City. Go to ShowboatHotelAC.com or ShowboatHotelAC.com)
Michael Patrick’s Brasserie at Golden Nugget
Michael Patrick’s Brasserie is always a big winner when it comes to audience votes, and they will once again also keep things relatively traditional, except their Garlic Buffalo Wings will kick things up in the garlic department while also offering a little sweetness to the mix thanks to some fresh honey. Dip those puppies into the creative and awesome Smoked Paprika Blue Cheese Aioli, and you have another winning recipe for MP.
(Michael Patrick’s is located inside Golden Nugget Atlantic City Hotel, Casino & Marina. Go to GoldenNugget.com)
MotleyQue NJ
MotleyQue NJ, an awesome food truck that specializes in unique, nontraditional barbecue such as their deep-fried pulled pork and stuffed chicken and waffles, made their Wing Fest debut last year, scoring some major points with judges and attendees for their Twisted Thwings, taking home 3rd Place Judges’ Choice. Like the defending champs Holy City, why mess with success? So, MotleyQue is back with the Thwings, which are seasoned, smoked Mighty Thighs that are dry rubbed with sugar and spices. Their dipping sauce – appropriately named Motley Kick BBQ Cream – is particularly interesting as they take their BBQ wing sauce that is mixed up with some sour cream for some tasty results. Smoke ’em if you got ’em! And with an ’80s rock ’n’ roll theme inspired by Motley Crue, how can you not be a fan?
(MotleyQue NJ is a roaming food truck that will be at the next event near you. Find MotleyQue NJ on Facebook.)
Ossu Asian Tavern
One of our favorite restaurants in all of Atlantic City is Ossu, an Asian tavern that has heavy Japanese influences, offering some of the best sushi you will have in the city along with some great riblets and Bao Bun creations. At the top of Ossu’s favorites list is their Yakitori Grilled Wings. Overseen by Director of Culinary Demetrios Haronis, Ossu’s Yakitori wings are lathered in soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sriracha, brown sugar, sesame oil and some other secret ingredients to make it one of the best wings in the city. Pair that with a Buttermilk and Chive Blue Cheese, and you know what heaven tastes like.
(Ossu Asian Tavern is located at Tropicana Atlantic City. Go to Caesars.com)
Professional Chefs Association of South Jersey
Think of this as the supergroup of chefs coming together under one banner, kind of like when Chris Cornell joined the members of Rage Against the Machine to form Audioslave. The Professional Chefs Association features some of the best award-winning chefs that represent all restaurants in the area, generally donating their time to events to help raise money for charities and people in need. This time they are showing off their joint culinary skills to raise awareness for their group, as well as their big Chefs Gala coming up on Feb. 25. Chefs Larry Alexander, David Goldstein and the entire Association went to the lab and came out with Caribbean Jerk Wings featuring everything from garlic and scallions to Scotch Bonnet Peppers to ginger and nutmeg. Dip those in some Spicy Caribbean Ranch Dressing with some pineapple for sweetness, and you will see how this chefs supergroup rolls.
(For more information on the Professional Chefs Association of South Jersey and their anniversary gala, go to ACFPCASJ.com)
Romanelli’s Garden Café
When Romanelli’s Garden Cafe Owner Drew Huggard entered Wing Fest for the first time in 2023, he didn’t know what he was in for. What he discovered was that he and his staff had one of the most fun working days of the year, impressing longtime customers, attracting new ones and even winning some Wing Fest hardware. This year, Huggard and his Romanelli’s family will try to duplicate their success with their new invention, Sticky Korean Wings. The secret recipe includes Gochujang chili, brown sugar, honey and even some rice vinegar – along with some other top-secret stuff – so expect a sweet, savory and very different experience when you hit the Romanelli’s Garden Cafe table. And Huggard is opting to not offer a dipping sauce this year, because he wants the wings to speak for themselves. Challenge accepted!
(Romanelli’s Garden Café is located at 279 S. New York Road, Galloway. Go to RomanellisGardenCafe.com)
Rose’s Garden Grill
One of my favorite go-to places for lunch and dinner on the mainland is Rose’s, a quaint sub shop in the middle of a tiny Northfield strip mall that creates weapons of mass destruction thanks to the family culinary team of Frank and Rose Trifiletti and their sons Frank Jr. and Nick. After a year or two off form Wing Fest, the family got together for another weapon that is sure to do some damage at Wing Fest. The always eccentric and hilarious Frank Sr. named his wings the Yo Mom Ee Wings, a play on their newly created umami wings, accompanied by – you guessed it – Yo Dad Ee Blue Cheese. I would tell you what’s in both of them, but I have been sworn to secrecy. And since I routinely rely on Rose’s for their chicken cutlets and chimichanga, I can’t risk breaking that trust. Just be certain that Rose’s wings are a thing of beauty.
(Rose’s Garden Grill is located at 2605 New Road, Northfield. Go to RosesGardenGrill.com)
Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall
Chef Charles Soreth at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall loves wings and loves Wing Fest. One of his creations – the Sweet Soy Wings – did so well at a previous Wing Fest they are now part of the Beer Hall’s permanent menu. Soreth is going the Asian route this year again with Korean BBQ Wings featuring some heat as well as some sweet with everything in there from hot sauce to honey to chili garlic sauce. You can appropriately dip those Korean wings into Kimchi Blue Cheese, a play on Soreth’s regular menu items including the Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich as well as the Kimchi Hot Dog. Will his 2024 submission be a new menu item when it’s all said and done? We sure hope so!
(Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall is located at 133 S. Tennessee Ave., Atlantic City. Go to TennesseeAvenueBeerHall.com)
Villain & Saint at Ocean Casino Resort
My wife and I like to hang at Ocean Casino Resort as much as possible. And when we do, we generally end up at Villain & Saint, one of our favorite restaurants inside any Atlantic City casino. Villain & Saint have scored major success at nearly every single Wing Fest that has been had, and no one takes this contest more seriously than one of Ocean’s top chefs, Jorge Barreto Jr., who will wow everyone in attendance with his Sriracha Agave Wings. If you see the trend of sweet and heat going together at Wing Fest, you are on to something, and these wings featuring Thai chili sauce, sriracha, agave nectar and chopped cilantro are special. While they are a repeat submission for Villain & Saint, their dipping sauce is brand new and sounds scrumptious: A Pineapple Bourbon Dipping Sauce features exactly what you think it would, plus some brown sugar, sriracha and honey, a perfect match for their sriracha agave wings. Expect more success for Villain & Saint!
(Villain & Saint is located inside Ocean Casino Resort, Atlantic City. Go to TheOceanAC.com)
Wingcraft Kitchen & Beer Bar
It’s no secret that my love affair for Wingcraft started from the day it was born. With killer burgers, an awesome tap list, fantastic meatloaf and wings and tenders that more than live up to its name, Wingcraft stands out as not just one of the best restaurants in Atlantic City, but one of the best pubs in the state. This year, Owner Nick Ballias and his creative team have come up with Blueberry Habanero Wings, a promising invention that features fresh blueberry compote, some heat from habanero peppers and lots of love. Dip that sweet goodness into their new Goat Cheese Crema – one of the more inventive and interesting dipping sauces submitted this year – and Wingcraft could be on stage accepting some awards very easily.
(Wingcraft is located inside Tanger Outlets, 2010 Baltic Ave., Atlantic City. Go to WingcraftAC.com)
Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern
If you haven’t been to Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern since new ownership from the Deauville Inn took over, you are really missing out on some amazing food … and the wings are a big part of that experience. Thanks to Chef Anthony T.J. Ricciardi and their awesome team that includes Judy Brenna Felicetta, Yesterday’s is back showcasing some awesome creations. This year, Chef T.J. is really going to wow judges with something very cool and different – Caramel Bourbon Wings – accompanied by Alabama White Sauce, a mayo-based dipping sauce that has some spices and vinegar and even some smoke! Wow!
(Yesterday’s is located at 316 Roosevelt Blvd., Marmora. Go to YesterdaysTavern.com)
Scott Cronick is an award-winning journalist who has written about entertainment, food, news and more in South Jersey for nearly three decades. He hosts a daily radio show – “Off The Press with Scott Cronick” – 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays on Newstalk WOND 1400-AM, 92.3-FM, and WONDRadio.com, and he also co-owns Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall in Atlantic City, while working on various projects, including charitable efforts, throughout the area. He can be reached at scronick@comcast.net.
Atlantic City Wing Fest
Where: Ballroom, Golden Nugget Atlantic City
When: Saturday, Feb. 3., Noon to 4 p.m. for Early Admission Ticket Holders, 1 to 4 p.m. for General Admission Ticket Holders
Price: SOLD OUT! No tickets will be sold at the door. Do not buy tickets from any third-party ticket company or anyone unless you know them personally; they are likely fraudulent tickets and will be rejected at door.
Sponsors: WMGM Rocks 103.7-FM, Visit AC, OceanFirst Bank, Golden Nugget, Paris Produce
Online: Like Atlantic City Wing Fest on Facebook
The Judges
Jonathan Deutsch
No one looks forward to judging wing events more than Jonathan Deutsch. The lead judge of Atlantic City Wing Fest knows food so well that he decided to teach others about it for a living. Deutsch is not only a professor of culinary arts and food science at Drexel University, he is not only the director of Drexel’s Food Lab, he not only is the director of Food Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programs at Drexel, but is also a columnist for Restaurant Business magazine and has authored and/or edited about 10 books, including “Barbecue: A Global History.”
“It’s always a pleasure to see the culinary creativity of A.C.’s best chefs as they make wings from perfectly executed classics to never-seen-before flavor innovation,” said Deutsch, who, by the way, is also a classically trained chef. “It’s an honor to judge, which gives me a seat at the most exclusive 21-course tasting menu in the world!”
And, just for good measure, Deutsch also plays the tuba. But not as well as he cooks.
Brian Lofink
Bran Lofink sums it up pretty well why he should be a judge at Atlantic City Wing Fest: “I’ve been mastering the art of wing cookery my whole life…I was born for this competition!”
’Nuff said. But just to add to his resume, the Philadelphia-based chef is a regular judge at previous wing eating competitions and is the Culinary Director for Simons, Frank & Company, a restaurant group known for their amazing Philadelphia-area eateries such as Khyber Pass Pub, Royal Boucherie, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Royal Tavern, Triangle Tavern, Cantina Los Caballitos and Cantina Dos Segundos. The man can cook. The man can eat. The man can judge.
Kriti Sehgal
New to the Wing Fest Judging Table is Kriti Sehgal, a woman who enjoys wings so much that she has agreed to hang with Deutsch and Lofink for a whole afternoon. Sehgal founded Pure Fare, a fast casual grab and go cafe/market in Philadelphia, in 2011. Pure Fare provides innovative grab-and-go solutions for the food service industry. Kriti is a 2020 James Beard Fellow and 2019 RAD Girls Entrepreneur of the Year. Prior to successfully launching Pure Fare into a wholesale and concessions business, Kriti was running her brick-and-mortar, fast-casual restaurants in the heart of Philadelphia for 10 years. Her concepts won over 7 Best of Philly awards and Pennsylvania Refugee Resettlement Program, Employer’s Award, 2013. She loves learning about culture through food and how food brings people together!
The Band
The Billly Walton Band
Atlantic City Wing Fest is known for its entertainment value as much as it’s known for its wings.
The Billy Walton Band, which makes it Atlantic City Wing Fest debut in 2024, joins a long list of amazing acts that have previously performed at the annual wing extravaganza, including LeCompt and The Anthony Krizan Band with Sandy Mack featuring Krizan, a former guitarist for the Spin Doctors.
If you’re looking for your typical cover band that you find at many events, The Billy Walton Band is anything but.
However, if you are looking for an amazing, rock ’n’ roll band fronted by one of the most dynamic female singers in the tri-state area trading vocal duties with Walton, also known for his guitar-slinging abilities, then The Billy Walton Band should definitely impress.
Walton, an accomplished guitar master from the Jersey Shore, is a rock soldier, earning his musical stripes in the rock trenches playing lead guitar for many years with Jersey icon Southside Johnny. Along the way he has headlined all over the world and has shared the stage with music legends including Little Steven Van Zandt, Gary U.S. Bonds and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.
The five-piece includes Destinee Monroe, a relatively new addition that has brought Walton’s band to the next level. Walton and Monroe are flanked by William Paris on bass and vocals, Eric Safka on Hammond B3 and keys, and Justin Hetrick on drums, offering a mix of classic rock and blues covers and originals.
Known for their high-energy live shows and devoted fan base, The Billy Walton Band is the perfect next chapter for Atlantic City Wing Fest.
