Fried chicken, comfort food, gets star turn in NYC

The Associated Press, Thursday, October 11, 2012, 7:36pm (PDT)

NEW YORK (AP) — Fried chicken, that mainstay of comfort food, is getting the star treatment.

More than a dozen chefs offered their take on the classic at an event Thursday as part of the New York City Food and Wine Festival.

Whoopi Goldberg was one of the event's co-hosts. She admitted that she's a picky eater, but said fried chicken has always been a favorite, especially the version her late mother used to make.

She was eager to try the night's fried chicken offerings, saying that "as with all art, interpretation is everything."

Another high-profile fried chicken fan in the room was Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, stepping away from his role as drummer for The Roots to get behind the turntables for a DJ set.

Questlove has started a catering truck that serves fried chicken in Philadelphia.

He told The Associated Press on Thursday that he was planning to open a restaurant that would be serving fried chicken and other comfort food in New York City at the end of January 2013.

"Every foodie loves fried chicken," he said.