How a school dropout became the original celebrity chef…

KFC India is all set to celebrate the birthday of the man who started it all – the man who learned the art of cooking at the age of 6, an age where most of us barely knew how to use the fork. Yes, it’s the birthday of Colonel Harland Sanders – the man with unlimited ambitions, perseverance, and undying spirit. Here are some exclusive, lesser-known facts about the man who brought us the world’s tastiest chicken.

• Jack of all trades, master of one

Colonel Sanders had an extremely varied resume before finding success in the fried chicken business in his 60s. He had over 20 different types of jobs. Blacksmith for the railway’s, fireman, amateur obstetrician, trial lawyer, ferryboat captain farmer, steam engine stoker, insurance salesman, tire salesman, an army private in Cuba… until he became the world’s greatest chicken salesman decades later.

• Cooking for a cause

“For me, money is not everything. I was more interested in doing good & helping people.”, believedColonel Sanders. Not a surprise then, that in 1935-36, in recognition of Sanders’ midwifery work and food donations, Kentucky governor Ruby Laffoon commissioned Harland Sanders as a “Kentucky Colonel,” the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

• Do you know Bertha? And how Bertha helped build the KFC story?

Bertha is the nickname of Colonel Sanders’ first pressure fryer. In fact, he was one of the first cooks in his time to use a pressure fryer. He spent years tinkering with relief valves, temperatures, and recipes and made a breakthrough in 1939 with Bertha. He discovered that frying his chicken with the signature 11 herbs and spices in a pressure fryer gave the taste & consistency he hoped for.

• Because age is just a number

The Colonel didn’t begin franchising his restaurant until 1955 when he was 65 years old. After selling the franchise in 1964, Colonel Sanders remained the company’s symbol. He visited KFC restaurants in his later years, inspecting the quality of the food and sometimes even tossing gravy on the floor if it didn’t meet his high standards!

• Get. Set. Go.

At age 66, Colonel Sanders went back to square one. He got in his car and drove around the country with everything he needed in his Oldsmobile (icebox full of chicken, cake flour, pressure cookers, spices, etc.). He would drive from restaurant to restaurant looking for new places to sell his Kentucky fried chicken. Finally, one restaurant, The Hobby House, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, decided to franchise.

Very inspiring right? Grab a KFC bucket today to relish, rejoice and join the birthday celebrations of the ‘Original Celebrity Chef’ – Col. Sanders. 

Psst: Did we mention the special birthday offer where you get a free piece of chicken with every order on the KFC app? You heard that right. Enjoy this finger-lickin’ good offer through the Colonel’s birthday week, 9^th to 15^th Sept, on all orders of INR 399 or above.