Nigerian chef cooks for 100 hours in bid for Guinness World Record

A chef has spent more than 100 hours cooking in a bid to achieve a new Guinness World Record.

Hilda Baci, based in Lagos, Nigeria, has captivated the country with her culinary marathon, in the hope of setting a new record for the longest ever cooking session by an individual.

The 27-year-old was backed by celebrities and politicians including President Muhammadu Buhari in her attempt to beat the current record of 87 hours and 45 minutes, set by Indian chef Lata Tondon in 2019.

Baci, also known as Hilda Bassey Effiong, began cooking on Thursday afternoon and finally stopped on Monday evening.

Thousands of cheering supporters gathered to watch her preparing dishes including iconic West African dish, Jollof rice, with her efforts also broadcast via several streaming platforms online.

She had five minute breaks every hour and a one-hour rest after 12 hours for medical checks, washing and resting.

The chef said she wanted to beat the record in a bid to demonstrate how hard-working and determined young Nigerians are, and to highlight young African women who are side-lined in society.

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“Even when it comes to brands you want to work with, it is like you have to go an extra mile to be taken seriously,” she said

As Baci edged closer to the 100-hour mark, President Buhari tweeted how Monday was a great day for Nigeria.

“We are all very proud of what she has personally accomplished – and placing Nigeria in the global spotlight,” he told his 4.5 million followers.

“Hilda’s drive, ambition and resilience have brought great interest and insight into the uniqueness of Nigerian food.

“She is now a cultural icon and I believe this feat will inspire many more young people, in Nigeria and beyond, to follow in her footsteps.”

Guinness World Records tweeted that it was aware of the chef’s “amazing” attempt to enter the history books.

“We need to review all the evidence first before officially confirming a record,” it said.

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Elsewhere in Texas, the city of Kyle is calling on namesakes from across the globe to assemble in the hope of clinching the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people with the same name.

They hope to topple the current record which saw a total of 2,325 people called Ivan meeting in the Bosnian town of Kupreski Kosci in 2017.

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In Portugal, a dog named Bobi was confirmed as the world’s oldest in February this year.

Meanwhile a set of British triplets set the record for the most premature birth and lightest combined weight.

They were born at just 22 weeks and five days, weighing a total of 2lbs and 3oz (1.284kg).

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