A MICHELIN-starred chef who was electrocuted had his arm amputated after it was “blown to pieces” in a freak accident.
The horror unfolded while Matt Davies, 56, was preparing for lunch service in a restaurant in Birmingham.
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Matt Davies, 56, underwent 70 surgeries during a three week hospital stayCredit: SWNS
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Tragically the freak accident has left Matt with chronic ‘horrendous pain’Credit: SWNS
He was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital after being electrocuted by 32amps of electricity.
Matt spend three weeks undergoing 70 surgeries to save and reconstruct his arm.
The dad-of-three, from Marsden, Staffordshire, said: “I was electrocuted at work by 32 amps.
“It blew my arm to pieces.
“My left arm – it was my arm. It was me.
“Getting over the amputation – I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it.”
Matt had a 40 year stellar career as a chef before the incident, operating six restaurants in Staffordshire.
Surgeons used skin grafts to save his arm, and he described his left leg as a “zebra crossing”.
Tragically the freak accident has left Matt with chronic “horrendous pain”.
“It’s a pain that radiates in my left arm and affects all the left side of my body,” he said.
Matt has spent the last seven years in and out of hospital struggling with countless infections – which has led to more surgery.
He nearly lost his life after losing four pints of blood after an operation in 2022.
He said: “As the years progressed it got worse and worse.
“In 2022 I was in hospital for four months of that year.”
In April 2024, a bad infection led to the decision to amputate his left arm.
“It was a horrible decision,” he said.
“It was the hardest day of my life.”It was a pain like I have never experienced.
“It still haunts me today.
“I still feel very angry.
“I’m a proper lefty – having that taken away is horrendous.”
But Matt, and his wife, Tina, 57, hailed his doctor Col Mark Foster who “saved his life”.
The chef was inspired to hold charity dinners with fellow Michelin-star chefs to raise money for organisations who helped him recover including Fisher House and the University Hospital Birmingham.
He has worked alongside names such as Tom Shepherd and raised as much as £16k in one event.
Matt has dinners lined up this year with MasterChef The Professionals finalist Louisa Ellis and his annual “great Brummie menu” event.
Matt said: “My wife says at these dinners she gets her husband back.
“I find it super emotional.
“I’m turning a very horrendous incident into a positive thing giving something back.”
Despite his positivity, Matt will still likely need further operations.
“People say they find it inspiring which is humbling to me,” the dad-of-three added.
“Times can get dark but you can ask for help. You’ve got two choices – do something or you don’t.
“It’s how you perceive your life now.”