The head chef at a Fife hotel was followed into his kitchen and brutally assaulted by a drunken customer.
David Brown beat cook Kenneth Penaluna with his own heat lamp at the Drummond’s Hotel in Markinch.
Mr Penaluna was left severely injured and permanently disfigured as a result of the assault in early 2020.
Brown appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Monday and admitted carrying out the attack.
Steak pie ordered
The court heard he had been drinking at the hotel throughout the day on February 25, 2020.
Fiscal depute Jamie Hilland said that Mr Penaluna had only taken up the role as head chef a week before.
Mr Hilland said: “Mr Penaluna was due to finish at 9pm.
“The accused had been drinking in the hotel bar most of the day.”
As the night progressed and the kitchen was approaching closing time, 31-year-old Brown ordered a steak pie for his girlfriend who was en route the the Balbirnie Street hotel.
Mr Penaluna plated up and sat down for a drink after his shift had finished.
When Brown’s partner arrived at about 9.20pm, she indicated she didn’t want the steak pie.
Mr Penaluna came over and offered to cook her something else.
Cut to face required stitches
Brown, of Muirfield Drive in Glenrothes, identified the chef as someone he had a grievance with and followed him into the kitchen.
He challenged the chef about whether or not he knew his sister.
In front of the assistant manager, Brown swung a kitchen heat lamp at Mr Penaluna.
The lamp struck the chef on the left eyebrow and left him with a four centimetre laceration which required stitches.
Mr Penaluna also sustained a half centimetre cut to the bridge of his nose.
The glass from the lamp came out and shattered as a result of the impact.
In a police interview just over a week later, first offender Brown accepted that he swung the lamp at Mr Penaluna.
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane deferred sentencing until March 14 for reports and released Brown on bail.
