While the history of the dish now universally referred to as Buffalo wings can be traced to the kitchen of the Anchor Bar, there is another early chicken wing pioneer who deserves recognition for his role in helping to popularize what is now a world-wide food phenomenon.

John Young was a Buffalo restaurateur and chef who ran John Young’s Wings and Things in East Buffalo in the 1960s. He served his wings whole – not separated into drums and flats – breaded and covered in what he called “mambo sauce,” a variation that is still served in some Southern restaurants. His restaurant at Jefferson Avenue and East Utica was a popular spot throughout the sixties, up until Young left town in 1970.

While Young’s wings were different enough from what we now call a Buffalo wing to fall into a separate category of delicious chicken wing, it should be noted that he was serving wings at the same time – if not before – the Anchor Bar.

As former Buffalo News columnist, Donn Esmonde, remarked in a 2013 edition of the paper, “Had fate taken a different turn, we might today be slathering our wings in mambo sauce and Young would posthumously wear the crown of creation.”

Although Wings and Things closed in the 1970s, several new initiatives have been started to preserve Young’s wing legacy. Young was inducted into the National Buffalo Wing Hall of Flame at the 2013 National Buffalo Wing Festival and a King of Wings mural was commissioned at the corner of Jefferson and Carlton Streets on Buffalo’s East Side. Local bike tour company, Buffalo Bike Tours, offers The Wing Ride – an exploration of the origins of the wing including a special appearance by Lina Brown Young, daughter of John Young, who has resurrected John’s original Mumbo sauce recipe. Seeing so much interest in the sauce, Lina Brown Young began bottling and selling the sauce a few years ago, offering two varieties; original and spicy. You can find the sauce in stores across Western New York or purchase directly from johnyoungsoriginal.com.

Check out this Munchies feature of John Young’s wings from 2021!