Chef Al Brown 'on the mend' after undergoing back-to-back surgeries

Al Brown recovering in hospital after "eye-opening" surgeries.

Kiwi chef Al Brown has said he is "on the mend and in good shape" while recovering from consecutive hand and ear surgeries.

Brown described the experience of back-to-back operations as daunting but necessary, sharing photos of himself in a hospital bed to his social media.

"Having two surgeries in the past three weeks has been an eye opener," he said in a Facebook caption.

"26’ is my year of personal ‘panel beating’! First my hand, now my ear."

Hand surgery left Brown with a lightning scar, which he compares to Harry Potter's

The Best Ugly Bagels owner was initially diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture, which is a condition where the tissue in the hand thickens, limiting mobility.

Brown noticed the problem because it was affecting his ability to cook.

The condition, also known as Viking's disease, led to Brown getting surgery on his hand, which he likened to butterflying a prawn.

“It looked like they were working on a mannequin’s arm. It didn’t feel like it was mine,” he told the Herald.

“I’m going to tell my grandchildren that I tried to catch some lightning. I think that’ll make a good story."

Brown had a second surgery on his ear to treat his aural exostoses.

His second surgery came after an aural exostoses diagnosis, an abnormal bone growth in the ear.

Otherwise known as surfer's ear, it wasn't the first surgery Brown had had for the condition, as he had a previous operation 17 years ago.

Brown thanked the nurses and medical staff who helped him, stating in his Facebook caption he has "nothing but absolute admiration and respect for all."

"From receptionist on the check-in desk, to the nurses, the orderlies, the amethyst’s, doctors & surgeons……just a massive thank you to you all."