Dae’s chicken wings will ‘tantalize’

Bermuda is no stranger to BBQ, Honey and Asian chicken wings but when was the last time you saw Caribbean Breeze, Teriyaki or Jack Daniels wings on a menu here?

That is all about to change, thanks to one enterprising young Bermudian who is fed up with seeing the same flavours time and time again. 

Dakia O’Brien has recently set up her own catering business called Dae N’ Night Catering that incorporates a multitude of flavours in one of Bermuda’s favourite snacks — fried chicken wings.

The idea for the business came in October when O’Brien and her boyfriend were deciding what they wanted to eat for dinner: “It was an impulse decision,” she said. “We were sitting down and I asked him ‘What do you want for dinner?’ and he wanted chicken wings. So we were in the kitchen playing around and we came up with some different things. I started out on a small scale for my friends then once it started getting big, I thought I really needed to consider doing it properly. Once I got my business licence sorted out we started up in January and we named it Wild Wing Wednesday.

“The main thing people will relate to is the wings. We have eight flavours so far and in April I want to move it up to 12. 

“In Bermuda they don’t really crave for chicken wings like in the US — you go anywhere in Bermuda you get your basic four — honey and BBQ, Asian, garlic or something basic. I always wanted to be more creative. Right now we have Sweet and Spicy Honey (see recipe), Honey BBQ, Teriyaki, Buffalo... Those are generic — just to get your attention. 

They have lots of different flavours but then I got more creative — my three popular flavours are Special Sauce — everybody has gravitated towards it — I do a Curry and Mango and Caribbean Breeze. People have taken to these flavours. The Jack Daniels and Ranch (dry seasoning) are coming...”

The food can be pre-ordered on a Tuesday for Wednesday delivery within Hamilton. Delivery times are 11am, 12pm and 1pm on Wednesdays.

What started out as an experiment for a few friends and family members has now grown into an operation that sees her fry up some 1,200 wings every Wednesday for the Wild Wing Wednesday division of her business.  

“It has been a very hectic situation; we are extremely busy. I am a one-man team. I’m a very tired person! When ordering, keep in mind it is just me, I can’t please everyone but I do my best. If your lunch is at 12 then order for 11am. It is a small business. I would love to hire someone else and I am looking for a space — an operational kitchen.”

O’Brien graduated from Johnson and Wales University in 2010 with an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts. She did her internship at Greg’s Steakhouse before moving to Port-O-Call, Snorkel Park and then went to Taste 141.  She has recently added Tossed Salad Tuesdays to her repertoire and hopes to branch out with offerings most days of the week. Her current salads are Buffalo Fish, Curry Chicken and Mango Salad. 

Asked what sets her food apart from the normal offerings found in Bermuda, she said: “It is the personal touch — everything I do includes a lot of different ingredients — a lot of time and effort and you can tell by the flavour. The names are designed to tantalize your taste buds. Caribbean Breeze tastes nutty and — you think of pineapple or coconut, you will eat it and it will taste familiar then right at the end it’s going to kick and it goes so well together.  I want people to taste it and not be able to say they have tasted that before. They can only get it from here. A lot of love comes with it because I love what I do.” 

To order call 704-7032 or email [email protected].