But cattle don’t have wings…
A couple weekends ago, we let our summer intern, Katie Fisher, take off her Black Ink reporter hat and get a behind-the-scenes look (VERY hands on) at a unique event sponsorship for the brand.
And then we asked her to come back, put that hat back on and tell you all about it. So if you’re wondering what could get CAB excited about a chicken wing festival, read on.–Miranda
On Saturday, June 22nd, the first-ever Big Kahuna Wing Festival kicked off at The World’s Fair Park in downtown Knoxville, Tenn., just steps away from the historic Sunsphere.
The event had a full lineup of some of Knoxville’s best culinary talents, who cooked 54,000 wings for more than 5,000 visitors – and all in the name of charity. The festival benefitted the Empty Stocking Fund and the Ronald McDonald House.
Among the bevy of sponsors for the inaugural event was the Certified Angus Beef ® brand.
Does it seem odd that CAB sponsored a chicken wing festival? Yup.
But event organizer and BKW Seasonings founder Matt Beeler wanted a VIP tent, and realized that VIPs deserve a grand steak cooked by the experts – even among a sea of yard bird.
The brand partnered with local restaurant group Aubrey’s to give VIPs the royal treatment – and they didn’t disappoint.
More than 180 pounds of Certified Angus Beef ® brand strip loin and petite tenders were perfectly cooked by corporate Chef Michael Ollier, and paired with succulent Aubrey’s sides.
The look on people’s faces passing by the roped-off VIP area was priceless. They were astonished at the giant juicy pieces of beef sizzling on the grills. Many of them asked over the fence, “Where do we purchase the tickets to get in there?”
Soon after dropping $100 each for the special ticket, our tent was overflowing with 250 hungry guests.
I enjoyed going to each table and talking to the VIP attendees about the brand and where the beef comes from. I 
was proud to represent the farmers and the ranchers who create this amazing product for us to consume. There is nothing else quite like CAB and I wanted to ensure they could “Taste the Difference.”
It was a hot (and I mean HOT) weekend filled with helping Beeler set up the physical layout of the festival, taking Chef Ollier to a local TV station to talk about the brand, Aubrey’s restaurants, the event and manning the VIP tent o’ beef.
Although, we were constantly trying to keep up with the demand for beverages, ice, utensils and food, we made a great team: CAB, the Aubrey’s staff and chef.
The best part? Making beef a highlight at a chicken wing festival. That makes all the hard work worth it.
~Katie
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