Calling all spicy food lovers- we've found the perfect eating challenge.
Separating the hot food enthusiasts from those that can handle some of the UK's hottest sauces and spices, WingFest, the world's biggest chicken wing festival is back for another year
A super spicy wing eating contest is returning to Manchester by popular demand this year, and you can now put your name down to take part, reports The Manc.
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 this September, 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”.
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.
New York-style pizza pop-up, Edges Pizza, is set to open in Leeds.
Last summer you may have had the privilege to enjoy a slice of Edges Pizza at one of their many pop-up residences across the city.
Their longest stint was at the sun-drenched roof terrace of Green Room, and it's safe to say their pizza went down an absolute treat.
Since then they've been a little quiet, but all for good reason it seems.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Edges will be opening their doors in Leeds city centre on Thursday 18 June in a vacant railway arch at Fourth Court on Bridge Road in Leeds' Holbeck area.
It won't be your average pizza shop though, you'll have to preorder for now but trust us - it's worth it.
Announcing the very exciting news to Instagram, Edges said: "WE FINALLY HAVE an opening date, Thursday 18th June! All pizzas are pre-ordered like we have always done, and are slightly limited for now (still looking for helping hands!!!). The pre-orders will open the day before at 12pm via our Storekit link.
"We’ll be then opening Wednesday to Friday, 4-9pm and Saturday & Sunday 3-9pm. If there are still remaining slots left on the day, you can order up to an hour before the collection time. We have limited seating, for those who travel and would like to eat in. There is plenty of car parking space, to pick up your pizza, too.
"We can’t wait to see you all soon & more importantly, we can’t wait to start making some good food for you again."
We can't wait to get our hands on a coveted Edges pizza slice again, so you best believe we'll be there at the opening with bells on.
The 80-year-old Wakefield butchers that won Jane McDonald’s heart
Declan Kelly
When Wakefield's queen of the cruise ships recommends a pork pie in Yorkshire, you listen.
TV presenter, singer and national treasure Jane McDonald has never hidden her love for her hometown. While her career has taken her around the world, from luxury ocean liners to sold-out theatre tours, Wakefield has always remained close to her heart. And among the many things she proudly champions from her hometown, one local institution receives more praise than most: Allums Butchers.
In fact, Jane has often joked that one of the reasons she still lives in Yorkshire is because of their famous pork pies. Most recently, Jane was once again singing their praises during her album launch at HMV when we interviewed her. She has also recently spoken fondly about the butcher's legendary pies on Alan Carr's podcast.
Hearing her enthusiasm sparked our curiosity, so we decided to make the trip to Wakefield and discover for ourselves what makes these pork pies so special.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Located on Brook Street, Allums Butchers is more than just a place to pick up your Sunday roast. It's a business woven into the fabric of Wakefield's history, with a story stretching back more than 80 years.
The journey began in 1945 when Albert Allum started trading from Wakefield Market.
At a time when local communities depended on independent traders, Albert Allum built a reputation for quality produce, expert craftsmanship and exceptional customer service. Those values helped establish a loyal customer base and laid the foundations for a business that would stand the test of time.
More than eight decades later, the same principles continue to guide the company.
Today, Allums remains proudly family-owned and is run by third-generation butcher Jonathan Allum. While much has changed since Albert's early days on the market stall, the commitment to quality remains exactly the same. The business has grown into one of Yorkshire's most respected independent butchers, yet it continues to place traditional butchery, carefully sourced produce and customer service at the heart of everything it does.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Speaking to us about his relationship with Jane McDonald, Jonathan shared memories that stretch back decades. The pair first met as teenagers when Jane would visit the market alongside her mother. Like many local families, they regularly stopped by the Allum stall and, more often than not, left with one of the butcher's famous pork pies.
Jonathan remembers chatting with Jane as she collected her order.
"I'd often say, 'See you next week,'" he recalled. "And every so often she'd reply, 'No, you won't - I’m off cruising.'"
Jane has gone on to become one of Britain's most recognisable entertainers, known by millions for her television programmes and her successful career at sea and most recently her iconic Mighty Hoopla performance . Yet despite the fame, she never forgot her Wakefield roots. To this day, she remains one of Allums' most loyal supporters and regularly speaks about the business with genuine affection.
Allums' pork pies have become something of a Yorkshire institution in their own right. Handmade using a traditional recipe that has been refined over generations, each pie is crafted using seasoned pork, rich savoury jelly and a perfectly baked hot-water crust pastry. There are no modern gimmicks, just a commitment to making a classic product exceptionally well.
Naturally, we couldn't leave without trying the pork pies ourselves.
Sometimes the best food stories aren't about reinvention or chasing the latest trend. They're about preserving traditions, maintaining standards and doing one thing exceptionally well for generations.
More than 80 years after Albert Allum first opened for business in Wakefield Market, Allums Butchers continues to embody exactly that philosophy. And after finally experiencing their famous pork pies for ourselves, we can confidently say that Jane McDonald might just be right.
The Hoot -
2nd May 2022 
