Legend Larry's Keeps Up the Heat in Buffalo

Local hot spot takes home two firsts and a third at National Buffalo Wing Festival

For the fourth consecutive year, Legend Larry's gained nationwide acclaim by leaving its mark on the country's most recognized annual wing celebration. The National Buffalo Wing Festival, held over Labor Day weekend in Buffalo, NY, featured competition from several of the most prominent names in the industry, including Anchor Bar, WingStreet, Wing Zone, and of course, Buffalo Wild Wings, one of the top ten fastest growing food chains in the country. With 78,000 people in attendance, the event would ultimately see 27 tons of wings eaten, with choices spanning over 100 separate and distinct flavors.

None of that has ever daunted Larry Schaefer, however, owner and founder of Legend Larry's, who took home first place awards in both the traditional hot and traditional extra hot categories, with an additional third place award in medium traditional. In fact, after four years of success it's safe to say Legend Larry's recipes have proven themselves to rank right up there with the best offered by the New York based establishments and national chains. The Legend Larry's booth has become a fixture of the festival, and its line continues to grow as it generates interest not only in Buffalo but back home as well.

"It means a lot," said Schaefer. "Being from the Midwest, you don't have a huge wing industry, so to come here and compete in something like this and win awards is just huge for us. It's like the Super Bowl of our year for us."

Schaefer has always been adamant about the fact that the recognition he's received in Buffalo, well known as the motherland and birthplace of chicken wings, has helped his business thrive in Wisconsin. He has restaurants in both Sheboygan, WI and Manitowoc, WI, and other establishments are now proudly serving his trademark wings, including Bernie's Bar and Grill in Cecil, WI and Mulligan's Bar and Grill in Mountain, WI. Beginning with his first entry into the national competition, where Schaefer's recipes won both Best Traditional Hot Sauce and Best Traditional Medium Sauce, his wings have validated their place among the wing lovers' community.

Legend Larry's menu currently includes ten different sauces, ranging on the heat scale from mild all the way up to D.O.A. ("dead on arrival"), and features several other household favorites, like hot garlic, honey barbecue and Carribean mango. There are also tenders available for the boneless enthusiasts and a large variety of side items.