A chef who delivered a kitchen knife covered in blood to the Ballarat police station last year has pleaded not guilty to murdering one of his customers.

Nepalese man Hari Prasad Dhakal, 50, has been accused of killing Abdullah Siddiqi after the 38-year-old customer was found dead at the Ballarat Curry House in October 2016.

A former waitress at the restaurant, Sonia Kumari, told the Ballarat Magistrate's Court the chef had asked the Pakistani-born IT worker to leave after he was drunk and verbally abusive towards her.

The court heard a fight the broke out between the pair over an entrée, which ended in the victim being stabbed in the neck with a kitchen knife.

Accused chef usually put customers first, court told

A police summary tendered to the court revealed Mr Dhakal then wrapped up the knife in a cloth and plastic bag and marched 600 metres to the Ballarat police station to report that he had "killed someone".

The court heard Mr Dhakal, who had worked across the east coast of Australia as a cook for more than 15 years, was generally a "calm" and "nice" person who put customers first.

The alleged victim was the only customer in the restaurant at the time of his death, and was seen by a prospective diner drinking from a bottle of whiskey and looking "distressed" prior to his death.

The victim's widow told the court she had never before seen the 38-year-old intoxicated, and that she had previously threatened to end the marriage if he ever drank alcohol.

The woman, who does not want to be identified, said the reports of his behaviour were completely "out of character".

Mr Dhakal's defence lawyer, Dr Theo Alexander, has told the court the chef will argue he acted in self-defence.

He was directed to stand trial in the Victorian Supreme Court at a later date.