KFBloggin's KFC HQ trip - Part 3

We left you previously with the appalling revelation that DG does in fact NOT EAT CHICKEN ON THE BONE. If you think you’re shocked, imagine what our good hosts for the day were thinking. I’m almost certain I saw a small gravy coloured tear emerge from the head of HR’s eye. But undeterred he was not. Within mere moments he had left the room in order to ensure Zinger Towers were on the menu for our test kitchen lunch. Time passed slowly while he was out of the room. Minutes dragged on like hours. Just as we were about to give up all hope, he returned.

"It’s ok guys, I’ve secured some Zinger Tower burgers for lunch"

Relieved, we all sat back in our chairs.

"There was one hitch though. We're out of buns"

Good lord! Surely the Colonel’s own test kitchen shouldn’t have run out of buns, what was to happen? A bunless burger? Perhaps we could use hash browns in place of the bread?

“But don’t worry, we’ve sent a very senior finance director down the road to pick some more up for you from the local branch”

This right here my readers is what it feels like to be chicken royalty. So, the meeting was up and we made our way to the test kitchen with a pool of drool trailing our every move.

"Welcome to the kitchen guys, I’m Chris Fells, Product Excellence Director"

And so it was that we met the man whose job it is to eat KFC multiple times a day (look out for a further post on this incredible individual soon). As soon as we entered the facility the smell hit us like a fried chicken punch to the face. How on earth the office workers sat just outside the doors managed to ever get any work done is beyond us. Lunch was awaiting us in a boardroom situated within the test kitchen itself, giving us a whole new appreciation for the notion of working lunches. As we sat down to we were informed that the room was lit with special lighting to ensure that the product could be inspected as if being eaten in a glorious summer’s cornfield. This was surely true dedication on HQ's part?

Before even a bite reached our quivering lips, a group of people entered the room. It was at this point that we were introduced to none other than the UK KFC managing director himself, Mr Martin Shuker, as well as Luis Perl, Senior Brand Manager and Jenelle Tilling, VP of Marketing. I myself had the distinguished honour of being seated next to Martin and striking up a fascinating conversation about the history of the Zinger Tower Burger (launched in 1998 dontchaknow), a product launch he personally oversaw. Martin also informed me that he visited at least 25 branches a week, a feat even Obad himself is yet to equal.

Yes, the chap in the shirt to the right of the photo really is the KFC UK MD.

Lunch was served. Piping hot OR chicken and fries were carried in on lavish serving plates by Nicola Fenn, Quality Assurance Technologist and the UK’s greatest KFC chef. Describing the food as delicious doesn’t even begin to do it justice and yet just as we were thinking this couldn’t get any better and DG was running out of skin to pick from the meat, the Zinger Towers arrived. We can safely say that these were the greatest ZTs we had ever tasted, even surpassing the famed Fleet Services branch’s offering.

DG had previously and never again will be this happy

Ladies and Gentlemen, we had truly arrived in chicken heaven.

Join us next time for a guided tour of the testing facilities.