Greenwich rotisserie hosts 41-day chicken eating contest
Could there be a Connecticut version of the Rotisserie Chicken Guy? A Greenwich restaurant is trying to make it happen.
Alexander Tominsky, a restaurant server in Philadelphia, recently went viral for eating 40 rotisserie chickens in 40 days’ time. As he neared the end of the quest, the city cheered him on, along with hundreds of thousands of online followers.
The viral story caught the attention of Ben Pote, owner of Wildacre Rotisserie in Cos Cob, which opened in June. Pote’s fast-casual restaurant specializes in rotisserie chicken, so he received lots of messages about Tominsky’s 40-day journey, especially “as it started to pick up steam toward the end,” he said.
“Rotisserie chicken is having a moment,” he said. “We saw this happening, like, ‘Oh my God, this guy’s going to do it. Forty whole chickens in 40 days.’ And rotisserie chicken is in the spotlight.”
Pote decided to go one step further. He’s launching a chicken challenge at Wildacre, daring diners to eat 41 rotisserie chickens in 41 days. Anyone wishing to participate must buy a whole chicken for 41 consecutive days, starting Nov. 14. The first customer to complete the challenge will win a year’s worth of Wildacre, and Pote will also cover the cost of the chickens once the effort is finished.
“I think we can beat the guy from Philly at his own game,” he said.
Pote said he wants to highlight the quality of Wildacre’s chicken, which comes from Cooks Venture, based in northwest Arkansas. The pasture-raised chickens are “something that we’re really proud of ” as its core menu item, he said.
The chickens are rubbed with a blend of bay leaf, oregano and fennel pollen, and served in quarter, half and whole portions. Meals include choices of sides like za’atar-roasted cauliflower, fries, potatoes, kale slaw, crispy Brussels sprouts or cucumber salad, and housemade dipping sauces include honey dijon, herby ranch, chili vinegar, creamy tahini, salsa verde and Buffalo.
Composed salads with chicken, featuring traditional and Buffalo Caesars and others with Mediterranean and Asian-inspired flavors, are also available as wraps. As the weather turns cooler, Wildacre has started to offer soups and broths, Pote said.
Pote said he’s hoping customers take on the challenge, in part so he can continue to build relationships with clientele.
“In a weird way, we can make friends with [them],” he said, laughing. “I’m just excited to form these new relationships with people that are excited to eat our chicken like this. So my sense is, we will know who is coming in to do this.”
Wildacre will also donate $1,000 to Greenwich nonprofit Neighbor to Neighbor to help feed families this holiday season, Pote said. He partnered with the organization during Wildacre’s opening, donating the restaurant’s first day of sales along with prepared foods.