John Young: The True Pioneer of Buffalo Wings
When most people think of Buffalo wings, they picture the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, and Teressa Bellissimo, who is often credited with inventing the dish in 1964. However, the first person to truly popularize chicken wings in Buffalo may have been John Young, a Black restaurateur whose contributions have long been overlooked.
In the early 1960s, John Young ran a small restaurant called Wings and Things in Buffalo. There, he served deep-fried chicken wings smothered in his signature “mumbo sauce,” a tangy, tomato-based sauce that added bold flavor to each wing. Young’s wings became a local favorite, drawing crowds eager to taste his spicy, savory creation. By centering a restaurant menu around wings, Young helped establish them as a serious culinary offering, laying the groundwork for the wings craze that would sweep the nation.
While Teressa Bellissimo’s Anchor Bar wings later became widely known, John Young’s pioneering work—including his unique mumbo sauce—shows that wings were already being celebrated in Buffalo’s Black culinary community. Recognizing him as the first to popularize Buffalo wings provides a richer understanding of the dish’s origins and honors his enduring legacy.
Today, Buffalo wings remain a beloved staple, and the tangy, flavorful influence of John Young’s mumbo sauce lives on in the hearts—and taste buds—of fans everywhere.
Leave a Reply