It was a fried chicken lovers dream - a chance to go behind the scenes at KFC.

After a rough start to the year the Maidstone branch in Sutton Road of the popular food chain opened its doors to us so we could take a look inside.

Jess Sharp spends a day in the KFC kitchen

The store made headlines earlier this year after a customer claimed to have found maggot eggs in their chicken.

However a tour of the kitchen, by manager Miro Steficek, showed it was spotlessly clean without a maggot in sight.

The smell of the secret 11 herb and spices filled the air and I was determined to sniff them out so I started my experience by coating and cooking my own chicken.

Unfortunately I couldn’t crack the secret recipe with staff telling me even they don’t know the famous concoction as it comes already mixed in a silver packet.

Apparently the list of ingredients is kept locked in a safe in Kentucky, Louisville, in the USA, and only five people in the world know it.

After my chicken had been cooked and monitored using a lot of high tech equipment it was time to make my own mini fillet burger and before serving it up ready to eat.

Of course - not forgetting my personal favourite - two hot wings and a small pot of gravy.

There are a multitude of machines that track cooking times, the average number of products which need preparing and the amount of food wasted in a day.

Owned by David Catterall, the store serves around 300 customers a day and sells around 10,000 pieces of chicken a week.

Friendly staff ensure hygiene and cleanliness checks are carried out and hands are washed and sanitized regularly.

Miro Steficek has been working in the company for 11 years, starting his career as a cook in the Week Street store in Maidstone.

He said: “ You are always working as a family to reach one goal, to hit targets and serve the best food for the customers.

“We come in here with our families, friends come in to eat so we just want to provide the best.

The company ensures a number of training course are completed online and in store before staff enter the kitchen as well.

Mr Catterall added: “ It is important for us to be consistently good. The processes put in place make sure everything is consistent.

“That is why we are called KFC and not Dave’s Chicken.”

The store's current food hygiene rating is a 5 after an inspection on August 9 this year.

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