Interview with Chef Kel Delaney, Madisons

Chef Kel Delaney, Madisons

What do you do and how did you get into the industry?
I’m the chef at Madisons. Originally I started working front of house and after couple of years decided I really wanted to be on the other side.

Share with us an interesting story from behind the scenes.
Chefs like to play pranks on waiters. One day we decided to test their taste buds. Normally during service there was a no smoking rule for front of house staff, but the waiters would sneak through the kitchen and grab a quick drag or two out the back of the restaurant, and on their way back in would pop a cool mint in their mouth to get rid of the smell when addressing customers. So on this particular day we decided that we would amuse ourselves. We were poaching fish bone with head still attached in milk. This turns the eyeball white and very firm. Once finished we removed the eyeballs and cooled off, and cleaned and proceeded to add to the waiters cool mint container. I guess you can figure out what happened next…

What’s the worst part of your job?
Missing out on family events.

What’s your personal favourite meal/ drink at Madisons?
Slow braised beef cheeks with a nice glass of Amarone.

What’s one of the craziest things you’ve seen behind the scenes?
An apprentice chef left a paring knife jutting out from under a chopping board. I came around the bench corner and knocked the board which in turn drove the knife into my stomach. I had only been working at the job for a few weeks. Traditionally in kitchens, unless you are dying you can work, so I wrapped the cut with masking tape and finished out my lunch shift. A quick trip to the emergency room and seven stitches later and I was back to work for the evening service. The life of a chef.

The perfect day off would be….
Spending the day doing anything with my daughter and partner.

A day in the life of a chef is….
… challenging, creative and unpredictable.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about Madisons?
We serve unpretentious food.

What’s your favourite food and wine pairing?
My favourite food is Jerusalem Artichokes, and I definitely like them paired with a nice glass of red wine.

What’s your view on the Kuala Lumpur food scene?
I think it has potential to really grow as people become open to trying more things outside of their comfort zone.

What’s in store for you in the upcoming months?
Definitely looking for new challenges to keep myself occupied and always moving forward. To continue trying to find delicacies and food that I haven’t eaten before.

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