From Popcorn Chicken Caesar Salad to the inventive KFC-inspired chocolate mousse topped with crispy chicken skin, each dish on the five-course menu redefines the traditional KFC dining experience.
Video / Corey Fleming
When KFC comes to mind, most people envision fast food staples like quarter packs, family meals, and hot and spicy chicken nibbles - typically served in boxes or buckets.
What may not immediately spring to mind is a KFC five-course degustation fine dining experience - titled Mr. Sanders by KFC.
From popcorn chicken caesar salad to the indulgent potato & gravy ravioli and the inventive chocolate mousse topped with crispy chicken skin, each dish on the five-course menu redefines the traditional KFC dining experience.
When KFC approached Kiwi chef Hercules Noble to spearhead the pop-up restaurant, he couldn’t resist the offer.
“It’s a really fun concept,” the famous private chef said. “It’s a fun opportunity because I think I’m correct in saying that most of New Zealand’s growing up eating KFC.”
Noble had only one request: Access to KFC’s closely guarded 11 secret herbs and spices.
“Imagine if I did a five-course menu and did not give you something with the 11 herbs and spices,” he said. “It would be absolutely ridiculous!”
KFC agreed and he was delivered a blank bag of the seasoning.
”It’s KFC but not as you know it, there is actual KFC chicken in three of the five dishes and every time you see a plate come out, every time a course comes out you go, ‘oh I recognise the KFC inspiration or elements of KFC’.”
Mr. Sanders by KFC has been a huge success, serving more than 200 people over five days, and raising over $11,000 for its charity partner, Surf Life Saving NZ.
“For the first day or two, I wondered if it was going well, then I looked on social media and everyone was giving us great feedback. I try to pretend I don’t care what people think, but I really do care,” Noble added.
While there are no firm plans to bring Mr. Sanders back, based on its popularity, KFC is not ruling it out.
