Colonel Sanders’ great-great-great-nephew goes to war with KFC, leaks the 11 secret herbs and spices

For something as simple as fried chicken, the KFC ‘original recipe’ has generated a ridiculous amount of drama over the years. The closely guarded secret blend of 11 herbs and spices was handed down from Colonel Sanders himself and is a bedrock of the brand. Many imitate it, no one can duplicate it.

But now every other fried chicken company may be about to pop open the champagne, as an unlikely source may have just spilled the beans (well, the herbs and spices) for the craziest reason.

Over on TikTok, user @realcolonelsanders claims to be Colonel Harland Sanders’ great-great-great-nephew and has a bone to pick with the KFC company. So, is he annoyed about not being cut into the profits? Upset about the current state of the food? Does he want to run his own chicken franchise?

No, no, and no. He’s upset because *drum roll* KFC is overly sexualizing the Colonel. As he explains, he called out their advertising team for being “weird, disrespectful, and disgusting”, explaining:

Colonel Sanders' great-great-great-nephew leaking the 11 secret herbs and spices was not on my bingo card for 2025 pic.twitter.com/ge39qMlc4h

— Ribz of Tik Tok (@ribzoftiktok) September 27, 2025

“Over the last decade they have sexualized my uncle for marketing purposes. They have encouraged fans to sexualize him as well. I cannot and will not support a company that does that.”

And, to hit back, here’s the Colonel’s secret recipe:

Thank you buddy.

— Regina (@BakeBake1111) September 27, 2025

So, is this legit? Many commenters are skeptical, pointing out that ingredients like cinnamon, ginger, garlic powder, nutmeg, and cardamom are more commonly associated with Indian cooking than Southern-style fried chicken. But the Colonel’s nephew says he has the receipts to prove it, so perhaps this should be a call to get to the kitchen and test out the blend.

Does it matter?

While KFC talks a big game about how important it is that its recipe remains secret, it really doesn’t matter. The ‘secret’ nature of the recipe is marketing, something that the company uses to set itself apart from its competitors.

The flavor of its chicken is indeed important, but what’s more important is the chain’s ubiquity, public image, and the emotional associations it’s baked into millions of happy chicken-munching customers across the world. The idea that their food is special because of some secret recipe handed down by the Colonel himself is really just for the ads.

So, arguably, KFC should be celebrating any moment when people are debating its secret recipe, as it’ll inevitably generate more interest in their food. And as for the overly sexualized Colonel? C’mon, buddy, it’s a little weird to be so invested in your great-great-great-uncle.