Auckland foodie Nicola Chan tucks into KFC Wicked Wings as the new official taste-tester for the company.
Auckland foodie Nicola Chan tucks into KFC Wicked Wings as the new official taste-tester for the company.
Custom nails and a clever hack landed Auckland woman Nicola Chan the “best job ever”.
When KFC advertised for a Wicked Wings taste-tester, 70,000 people viewed the ad on TradeMe Jobs and 900 hungry hopefuls applied for the coveted role.
The task: to assess the flavour, crunch, freshness and spice of the product across Auckland.
“As a self-proclaimed recreational dining expert and Wicked Wing fan, it felt like fate so I applied with a fresh CV and cover letter and received the news about an interview the following week,” Chan said.
Nicola Chan nailed the job with her custom KFC-inspired nail art.
The foodie with the popular Instagram account @chan_can_eat made the shortlist and attended an interview in Ponsonby.
“Interviews can be nerve-racking, but ... the scent of fried chicken in the air eased my nerves,” she said.
The interview went well and Chan left with an 8-pack of Wicked Wings.
“On a whim, I stopped at the park to capture some content to post, showcasing my Wicked Wing consumption skills. They said they saw it and loved it,” she said.
That post showed Chan removing the bones from a wing, leaving a tasty, boneless fried chicken parcel.
The following week she got the call to say she was the new Wicked Wing taste-tester.
Taste-tester Nicola Chan had Wicked Wings for breakfast, lunch and dinner during her days assessing the quality and crunch at each restaurant.
Since landing the short-term contract, Chan has assessed 15 stores and consumed dozens of fried chicken wings.
The recruit also revealed two hacks to make fast food fancier.
One is a slider using a boneless wing, fresh salad and peppercorn mayo on a bun. The other turns a boneless wing into a chicken taco boat stuffed with chips and gravy.
Chan said the role was a “bucket-list job” that supported her love of food.
“It’s been a dream of mine to turn my love for food and eating into a profession.
“I’m incredibly passionate about creating content for the food, beverage and hospitality industry and I love writing, photographing and assessing.”
Chan was a judge and moderator for the Iconic Eats Awards and has an upcoming project with Cuisine magazine.
Kirsty Wynn is an Auckland-based journalist with more than 20 years’ experience in New Zealand newsrooms. She has covered everything from crime and social issues to the property market and consumer affairs.
