We chat to Mike Mbele, the chef behind the KFC’s crunch burger.
By: Fundiswa Nkwanyana
1.I am 26 years old, and was born in QwaQwa. I am a kitchen assistant in KFC’s test kitchen at its head office. Before joining KFC, I was a chef; I prepared African and exotic cuisines in well-established restaurants. I’ve been working at KFC for a few years, and I am enjoying myself because I have a chance to grow and explore.
2. I created the delicious crunch burger. One day while testing a new range of burgers at the test kitchen, the team and I struggled to find the right one. We spent months testing a variety of burgers, but none made the cut. During one quiet day, I started playing around in the kitchen. Instead of breading the left-over fillets twice (with the Colonels secret recipe) as we usually do with burgers, I did it thrice. I asked my colleague to taste it and to my surprise, the burger was crunchy and delicious – exactly what we had been looking for. That is how the crunch burger came about. We continued to work on it to ensure that it meets our high standards. My crunch burger was introduced to the broader team, and everyone loved it! That was exciting.
3. I want to continue creating delicious meals. This is why I am currently studying food and beverage management, because I want to have in-depth knowledge to help me create more tasty products.
4. Product development is always on my mind. I love playing and experimenting with food; it’s fun! Hopefully, more of my products will appear on the menu.
