By Paul Lane
Local deep-fried poultry connoisseurs have debated the issue for years — maybe even generations.
The Anchor Bar was where chicken wings were invented and helped secure Buffalo a place on the nation’s culinary map.
But Duff’s, which started in Amherst and has since branched out into southern Erie Canada and Canada, might have gotten the chicken wing right, some diners claim.
This week, the issue will finally be put to rest.
Well, maybe.
The Travel Channel’s new series, “Food Wars,” will take host Camille Ford from city to city to referee showdowns featuring each locale’s signature dish. After the series was first conceived, Buffalo (along with Philadelphia and its cheese steaks) was the first location that was pitched, executive producer Charlie Parsons said.
“There’s no two ways about it. You’re either a Duff’s fan or an Anchor Bar fan,” he said. “We wanted to get to the bottom of it, who’s better.”
Tuesday’s premiere episodes will feature Italian beef in Chicago and Buffalo’s wings. For the Buffalo episode, Duff’s — playing on Anchor bar’s home turf — competed against the originator of the wing, with a five-person jury (including former Buffalo Sabre Rob Ray) deciding whose wings were best. While all sides were happy to share how the first four votes were cast — two for each side — the final outcome must remain secret until Tuesday.
“The experience was great,” said Jeff Feather, owner of Duff’s. “It’s nice to be recognized as being able to compete against the Anchor Bar.”
Ivano Toscani, the Anchor Bar’s manager, welcomes the rivalry (he even permitted Feather to use his deep fryer during the contest). In his mind, though, the champion is clear regardless of how the final vote was cast.
“The Anchor Bar was the place where wings originated,” he said. “Everybody else copied or tried to imitate us.”
That doesn’t just include Western New York. Toscani said he routinely hears from out-of-state travelers about the inferior wings that are served elsewhere in the country.
“People, all the time, they try wings wherever they go ... and then they come to the Anchor Bar — because, inevitably, they do — and I hear all the time that our wings are the best,” he said.
Duff’s, as well as numerous other Western New York eateries, might take umbrage with that boast. But one thing most locals seem to agree upon is that wings aren’t really wings unless they’re from this area.
“We just call them wings, for one thing. Everybody else calls them Buffalo wings. So that tells you a lot right there,” Feather said. “There’s about 10 places in Buffalo that I’d put up against anywhere in the country.”
Such hometown pride is what Parsons and other Travel Channel executives wanted to tap into with “Food Wars.”
“Food is the No. 1 thing people do when they travel,” said Parsons, who cited Texas (barbecue), Kansas (fried chicken) and New York City (pastrami sandwich) among other cities to be featured during the series’ 12-episode first season. “We really hope ‘Food Wars’ gets people in the car and see that these places aren’t so far away. We hope to shine the spotlight on these restaurants that are working hard, getting up at the crack of dawn to make these dishes.”
Viewers who disagree with Tuesday’s result can log onto travelchannel.com to make their opinions known and view clips that didn’t air. Travel Channel crews spent three days in the region — one at Duff’s and two at the Anchor Bar — so there was a lot of quality footage that had to be cut, Parsons said, including a segment featuring Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.
Even in abbreviated form, though, Western New York’s pride in its signature dish was evident, he said.
“It did not disappoint,” Parsons said of the Buffalo shoot, which took place earlier this winter. “The food looks so delicious, the people are so passionate ... At the end of the show, we want people to see that this was a fun visit to the city.”
That is one point upon which the poultry pugilists would agree.
“It was a win for both of us either way,” said Feather, who said that Food Network executives have been in contact with him regarding a similar feature on that network.
“After the contest, I said (to Feather), ‘Look Jeff, it doesn’t matter who wins. You’re a winner, I’m a winner and the city of Buffalo is a winner.”
Contact Paul Laneat 693-1000, ext. 116.
IF YOU WATCH
• WHAT: Debut episodes of “Food Wars” featuring chicken wings in Buffalo
• WHEN: 10:30 p.m. March 9; preceded at 10 p.m. by an episode featuring an Italian beef battle from Chicago
• CHANNEL: Travel Channel
• MORE INFORMATION: Visit travelchannel.com
