#64 • Early Commercial Pressure Cooker Used in Kentucky Fried Chicken Operations

Part of The Colonel Sanders Artifact Collection (live auction by The Menish Group Auction & Real Estate)

High bid $550.00

Status: Sold

Description Few objects are more closely associated with Colonel Harland Sanders than the commercial pressure fryer. Believed to date from the formative years of Kentucky Fried Chicken's expansion, this early commercial pressure fryer represents the type of equipment through which Colonel Sanders refined, demonstrated, and promoted the pressure-frying method that revolutionized the preparation of fried chicken. Unlike later self-contained commercial pressure fryers that became common throughout the restaurant industry, this earlier stovetop example reflects an experimental period when pressure frying was still evolving. Sanders was well known for continually refining both his cooking methods and restaurant operations, and equipment such as this formed the technological foundation of one of the world's most successful franchise systems. Its significance is heightened by its provenance. Rather than being discarded after its working life, this pressure fryer remained among Colonel Sanders' personal belongings at Blackwood Hall, where it was preserved for decades by the Settle family. Historical Significance Pressure cooking formed the foundation of Colonel Harland Sanders' revolutionary method of preparing fried chicken, allowing chicken to cook quickly while retaining moisture. Commercial pressure cookers like this became essential equipment in early Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants as the franchise expanded across the country. Story & Context Every successful entrepreneur has the tools that made the business possible. For Colonel Sanders, few were more important than the pressure fryer. By the mid-twentieth century, Sanders had become synonymous with pressure-fried chicken, a technique that dramatically reduced cooking times while preserving the quality and consistency that distinguished Kentucky Fried Chicken from its competitors. During those years, Sanders was constantly teaching, demonstrating, and refining his methods for franchise operators across North America. While the precise role of this individual pressure fryer cannot be documented, its early construction, commercial design, and preservation within Colonel Sanders' personal collection strongly suggest it was considered important enough to retain long after its practical service had ended. Whether kept as an early working example, a demonstration unit, or simply as a reminder of the innovation that helped build his business, it survives today as a tangible connection to one of the defining technological advances in restaurant history.