A MICHELIN-starred chef had his arm amputated after being electrocuted at work.
Matt Davies, 56, said his arm was “blown to pieces” during a freak accident while he was preparing for lunch service in a restaurant in Birmingham.
He was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital after being electrocuted by 32amps of electricity.
Matt underwent 70 operations in the space of three weeks to save and reconstruct his arm.
The dad-of-three had a stellar 40-year career as a chef before the incident, operating six restaurants in his local area.
Matt, 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.”
Surgeons initially managed to use skin grafts to save his arm, which he said left his leg looking like a “zebra crossing”.
But tragically the accident 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.
For seven years, Matt was in and out of hospital with various infections and needed more surgery.
He nearly lost his life after losing four pints of blood after an operation in 2022.
“As the years progressed it got worse and worse,” Matt continued.
“In 2022 I was in hospital for four months of that year.”
A decision was made in April 2024 to amputate the arm after another bad infection.
“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 doctor Col Mark Foster who “saved his life”.
The dad-of-three 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 also has dinners lined up this year with MasterChef The Professionals finalist Louisa Ellis and his annual “great Brummie menu” event.
The 56-year-old 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.”
