By Kimberly Cooper // Photography by Tony Lewis, Jr.
Buffalo Wild Wings
2337-A Forest Drive, Annapolis
410-573-0331
When the people of Annapolis want wings, they know exactly where to go. Buffalo Wild Wings, of course. They have more than 15 different sauces to slather on those babies. But Buffalo Wild Wings doesn’t just dole out delicious food. They’re community-minded, as well, focusing on helping the less fortunate through a variety of different fundraisers. General Manager Ariel Cadenas shares with us his method on running a smooth restaurant, and on how to give back, and lets us in on Buffalo Wild Wings’ tasty and simple recipe for Parmesan Garlic Chicken Flat ead.
How did you get started in the restaurant industry?
I started my restaurant career at MEX in Baltimore, did a plethora of positions until I was offered a managerial role.
What ought you to Buffalo Wild Wings and how long have you been with them?
The franchise’s philosophy, work ethic, growth, development opportunity, and the chance to be part of a new up-and-coming chain is what ought me here. I started with the company in April of 2009 and became the general manager of Annapolis in October 2010.
How do you best make the kitchen and the front of the house work cohesively?
By maintaining the communication lines through lineups and one-on-ones with our team in both the kitchen and front of house. Our outside expo position is run by a member of the front of the house team, making the position a huge liaison between the two.
How did your franchise group start and what do you do to keep things fresh and keep customers coming in?
Our franchise group started back in May of 2005 with one store located in Hagerstown, quickly followed by another one in Westminster. We then opened up our third location in 2007 in White Marsh and things started really heating up after that. We now have a total of 12 locations in Maryland, including: College Park, Bowie, Urbana, Rockville, Owings Mills, Annapolis, Arundel Mills, Frederick, and Gaithersburg. Our philosophy has always been to take great care of guests, support our communities, and hire awesome team members to help us do all of that. We are one big family and really strive to have our guests feel like they are a part of that family. Best service in town, quality of food and drinks, dedication, positive people, and heart is what drives our team on a daily basis. We love serving our community and will always go out of our way to create more raving fans, young or old, for many years to come.
What is the biggest event you've done to help impact the community?
We do many great events all throughout the year but one that really sticks out is our Holiday Giving Back Program. We do this in all 12 locations. Each store connects with a local organization whose goal is to help kids, adults, and/or families have a nice holiday season. We ask our community to help us in this effort by collecting donations for toys, items, gift cards, etc. for a few weeks. We then go the extra mile and have an across-the-board fundraiser where we donate 10 percent of our sales back one night to raise money. At the end, depending on the needs of the organization, our team gets to deliver the items collected. All needs are different so we’ve done anything from helping wrap gifts, delivering them to the specific families, or helping the family actually pick items out according to their needs. This is the perfect way for Buffalo Wild Wings in Maryland to end a great year, each year, and we look forward to it. It ings our team closer together and gives them a sense of what we are trying to do and why we do it.
What is the biggest food trend you've seen lately?
Wings are definitely trending more so now than ever. Seems like every place has them on their menus. I like this trend; it reinforces our name.
How did this dish originate?
Flat ead arrived at Buffalo Wild Wings as a limited-time-only item a few years back and soon became very popular among our raving fans. It finally made the main menu and is here to stay.
What is your favorite ingredient?
Our Parmesan Garlic Sauce.
What wine or drink pairs best?
It pairs best with many of the beers we have on tap. If I can only pick one, I would have to say that the best pairing would be the Abita Turbodog. The flavor of the flat ead just pops with this delicious dark own ale.
What is the most important step when cooking it?
There's many important steps in making all of our great menu items but one of the most important steps for our flat ead is the timing in the oven to give it that perfectly crisp profile with that beautiful golden own topping of melted cheese and chicken.
RECIPE: PARMESAN GARLIC CHICKEN FLATBREAD
Serves 1
1 square flat ead crust
Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce
Diced Grilled Chicken
Mozzarella & Provolone Cheese
Top the flat ead evenly with garlic sauce, then chicken, and finally the cheeses. Bake for 7 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve immediately.
