US Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association

ST. THOMAS, VI, MAY 28, 2022 – Mark your calendars! The 11th annual King of the Wing contest will take place on Saturday, June 11th, 2022 on the shores of Magens Bay in St. Thomas. Teams consisting of the top local restaurants, businesses, organizations and chicken wing connoisseurs will set up their grills and cooking stations right on the beach. Mouthwatering wings will be served from 12pm to 5pm at which point judges will announce the official winners!

Event sponsors Coors Light and Captain Morgan, and Major Sponsors: Alpine Securities, White Bay Group and the VI Department of Tourism will provide support while internationally renowned DJs and KOW veterans, DJ JSmoke, Dhundee and the VI’s own DJ Kuntry will keep the energy and appetites up with their signature blend of music.

Special guests – Grammy Award winning rapper, actor and record producer, Method Man from the ‘Wu-Tang Clan,’ will be in attendance to personally crown the winners and perform live for the crowd! Joining our judges panel this year are Michelin-Star winning chef Simon Kim of Cote Korean Steakhouse (with locations in NYC and Miami) and the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Most Outstanding Player (and Virgin Islands native) Aliyah Boston!

The KOW Restaurant Division winner will also get to participate in the 2022 National Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival Competition in Buffalo, NY during Labor Day weekend. KOW will provide airfare and hotel accommodations for (2) people to participate in the Festival in Buffalo.

In addition to being the island’s most anticipated, family-friendly culinary and community event, King of the Wing has grown every year in attendance and number of competitors and serves as a crucial fundraising platform for local charities. All proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to the Virgin Islands Children’s Museum (VICM), a 501(c)3 recognized organization. VICM provides the Virgin Islands community with unique and meaningful experiences through fun, high-quality exhibits and programs. Located on St. Thomas, the museum’s mission is to bring children and families together in an interactive educational space where dynamic play inspires a passion for learning.

KOW 2022 is shaping up to be the best one yet, so get ready for an unforgettable day of good food and great entertainment for a good cause! Should you have any questions, please call Vernon Araujo at 340-714-2020, email kingofthewingvi@gmail.com or visit www.kowvi.com.

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Instagram & Twitter: @kowvi

Clifford Smith, better known as Method Man, is a Grammy Award winning rapper, actor and record producer. He’s a known member of the hip-hop collective the ‘Wu-Tang Clan.’ In 1996, Smith won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By“, featuring American R&B singer Mary J. Blige, whom he currently stars with in Power Book II: Ghost. Smith has appeared in several films and television shows and he has also had recurring roles in three HBO series.

Aliyah Boston, originally from the U.S Virgin Islands, is a rising senior at the University of South Carolina. She was the recipient of the John R Wooden, Naismith Associated Press, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, and the Naismith Defensive player of the year awards for her incredible play throughout the 2021-2022 Season. Aliyah has also earned five gold medals throughout her career and led her team to a national championship victory where she was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player last season. She is set to have yet another fantastic year this upcoming season as she eyes another national championship and the 2023 WNBA Draft.

Simon Kim is the proprietor of the game-changing Korean restaurant, Cote Korean Steakhouse, a restaurant with locations in New York and Miami. Cote is the world’s only Michelin-starred Korean tabletop grill restaurant. Since 2017, he and his restaurants have won numerous awards and have been featured in many world-renowned publications. Mr. Kim has brought his singular vision for Korean cuisine to the world stage, and now he brings his expertise to the Virgin Islands for the 11^th Annual King of the Wing contest.