Nigerian culinary sensation, Hilda Effiong Bassey, also known as Hilda Baci, has set her sights on breaking a remarkable Guinness World Record.
With sheer determination and unwavering passion, the Nigerian chef has surpassed the current record holder, Lata Tondon AKA ‘Iron Lady’ an Indian chef for the "longest cooking marathon by an individual."
Baci embarked on this culinary marathon on Thursday, igniting her cooker at 4 PM, and continued to showcase her cooking prowess until Monday morning. If officially recognized by the Guinness World Records, she will dethrone Lata who achieved the feat in 2019 with an uninterrupted cooking time of 87 hours and 45 minutes.
The venue for this extraordinary feat is the captivating Amore Gardens, located in the vibrant city of Lekki, Lagos State.
Despite inclement weather conditions, Nigerians from all walks of life, including numerous celebrities, braved the rain to show their support and encourage the visibly tired yet resolute chef.
Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, pours praises for Baci on his official Twitter handle. “I share the immense joy of all Nigerians as Hilda Bassey Effiong (Hilda Baci) makes history by breaking the wolrd record for longest cooking marathon. A great day for Nigeria. We’re all very proud of what she has personally accomplished and placing Nigeria in the global spotlight.”
Another famous Nigerian personality shared his immense love towards his fellow citizen. “Chef Lata Tondon of India was called the ‘Iron Lady’ when she cooked for 87 hours and 45 minutes in 2019 surpassing the previous record by 20 hours. When Hilda Baci breaks her record today by 9 hours and 55 minutes, we should call her ‘Tungsten Lady,’” he expressed.
{{/usCountry}}Another famous Nigerian personality shared his immense love towards his fellow citizen. “Chef Lata Tondon of India was called the ‘Iron Lady’ when she cooked for 87 hours and 45 minutes in 2019 surpassing the previous record by 20 hours. When Hilda Baci breaks her record today by 9 hours and 55 minutes, we should call her ‘Tungsten Lady,’” he expressed.
{{/usCountry}}As Monday morning dawned, Baci reached the remarkable milestone of four days of continuous cooking, an awe-inspiring testament to her culinary skills and determination. This achievement adds to her already impressive accolades, as she emerged victorious in the inaugural Jollof Face-off Competition in 2021, securing a grand prize of $5,000.
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But there is still a barrier to climb as the Nigerian culinary personality needs to be officially recognized by the Guinness World Records, individuals or groups must provide compelling evidence to the dedicated team and undergo a rigorous verification process. This ensures the authenticity and integrity of the records listed, safeguarding the book's reputation as a trusted source of remarkable achievements.