Hilda Baci completes jollof rice world record attempt, awaits Guinness verdict

Nigerian celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci, has completed her ambitious attempt to set a new world record for cooking the largest pot of jollof rice. She is now awaiting official confirmation from Guinness World Records (GWR).

The feat took place on Saturday at Car Park B of Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, during the ‘Gino World Jollof Festival’. Baci prepared about 200 bags of rice in a custom-built 22,619-litre pot measuring six metres wide and six metres tall. The cooking process lasted roughly nine hours.

Although she initially announced plans to cook 250 bags of Basmati rice, the chef scaled down to 200 due to weighing limitations of the crane and equipment used for the measurement.

The event attracted a massive turnout of fans, food vendors, and entertainers, with Nigerian influencers and Nollywood stars such as Funke Akindele, Bamike Olawunmi-Adenibuyan, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, and Tomike Adeoye joining the celebration. Students of Bethesda Home and School for the Blind were also present to support the chef.

After the cooking, over 30,000 people were served the meal in takeaway packs, while attendees were encouraged to come with coolers to collect portions of the excess food.

The Federal Government praised Baci’s effort, describing it as another example of Nigeria’s global excellence. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, represented by Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, commended the chef’s creativity and resilience.

“We encourage more young Nigerians to channel their creativity and talents into ventures that will not only benefit them personally but also contribute to national development and global recognition,” Idris said.

Baci’s latest feat adds to her growing list of accomplishments, cementing her place as one of Nigeria’s leading culinary figures while further spotlighting Nigerian cuisine on the world stage.