
1 Of The Worst Rated Foods In The World Found In Central New York?
One site ranked the 100 grossest foods in the world based on tourist reviews. Bad news for Central New York, we did make the list.
Worst Foods In The World?
TasteAtlas has published its 2025 list of the "100 Worst-Rated Foods in the World," based on nearly 390,000 user ratings. The list features a variety of dishes from around the globe that many find unappealing, gross, and question why people would enjoy them to begin with. Topping the list is Sweden's blodplättar, a pancake made with animal blood. Other notable entries include blodpalt from Lapland, a dumpling also made with blood, silkworm larvae from Thailand, and Iceland's svið, a boiled sheep's head served during traditional festivals.
For the “100 Worst Rated Foods in the World” list until January 16, 2025, 602,523 ratings were recorded, of which 389,802 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried."
Honestly though, the top of the list sounds pretty gross. But where was Central New York?
Which Central New York Food Is Considered The Worst?
The only other American food that made the Top 25 is frog eye salad in Utah at #22. Four more American dishes made the Top 100, this is where Central New York comes in. Tuna casserole #73, chocolate-covered bacon #76, chicken à la king #82, and chicken riggies #86. Chicken Riggies? Seriously? It had a score of 2.8 stars out of five.
If we were going to call a Central New York dish gross, would riggies be the choice? Utica Greens might be delicious, but they look pretty nasty. Would you consider riggies nasty? Let us know on our station app.
Brief History On Riggies
For those that don't know or remember- Chicken Riggies consists of rigatoni pasta, chicken, and hot or sweet peppers in a spicy cream and tomato sauce. The origin of this dish is debated among local chefs here in Central New York. Some attribute its creation to the late 1970s at the Clinton House in Clinton where Chef Richie Scamardo and Chef Bobby Hazleton prepared a similar dish for patrons. Michael Geno, a chef who worked there, recalls serving a combination of chicken, tomatoes, and cherry peppers over rigatoni to regular customers, which became popular over time.
Another perspective comes from Mike Schulz, who worked at the Clinton House before becoming the head chef at The Chesterfield Restaurant in Utica. He introduced Chicken Riggies to The Chesterfield's menu in 1989. Despite variations in the origin stories, over time Chicken Riggies has become a staple of Central New York cuisine.
Utica's Chicken Riggies Dish Wasn't Invented in Utica? Say It Isn't So.
Gallery Credit: Bill Keeler
The Verdict is in, Here's the Real History of Utica Chicken Riggies
Gallery Credit: Bill Keeler
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