Nigerian chef, Hilda Effiong Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, has surpassed the current Guinness World Record holder.
As of 08:32am on Monday, Baci has cooked for 88 hours and 32 minutes to surpass the previous record set by an Indian chef, Lata Tondon in 2019. The previous title holder cooked for 87 hours, 45 minutes, and 00 secs.
Baci started her four-day cooking marathon challenge on May 11 at the Amore Gardens.
The 27-year-old will keep cooking to extend the record.
The restaurateur began the competition on Thursday after she turned on her cooker at 4pm and surpassed the current world record holder on Monday morning.
If certified by the Guinness World Record, she will be displacing the current world record holder, Lata Tondon, an Indian chef who achieved the feat in 2019 with 87 hours 45 minutes record uninterrupted cooking.
Baci’s cooking marathon is currently ongoing at Amore Gardens in Lekki, Lagos State.
In her ongoing record-breaking attempt, Nigerians, including several celebrities defied the rain to physically cheer up the visibly tired chef.
Baci hit the four-day mark on Monday morning.
The chef won the maiden edition of the Jollof Face-off Competition in 2021, pocketing a grand prize of $5000.
The Guinness Book of Records is a reference book that contains human and natural world records.
It was first published in 1955 by the Guinness Brewery in Ireland and has since become one of the world’s most well-known and frequently read reference books.
Individuals or groups must submit proof to the Guinness World Records team and go through a verification process to qualify for a world record listing.
Her quest to make history has generated so much buzz among Nigerians who are still rallying support for her both on social media and at the venue of the cook-a-thon, Amore Gardens in Lekki, Lagos State.
Many dignitaries including the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) have shown support for Baci’s quest and lauded her resilience and grit.
On Sunday, Sanwo-Olu visited the chef at the Amore Gardens in the Lekki area of the state and cheered her up. Also, the lead pastor of Harvesters International Christian Centre Lagos, Bolaji Idowu; and Actor Charles Okocha, amongst others visited the chef.
