If you love cooking, you might have wondered how long you can stay in the kitchen without taking a break. Well, Nigerian chef Hilda Effiong Bassey, better known as Hilda Baci, has the answer: 93 hours and 11 minutes!
That’s how long she cooked non-stop from Thursday 11 May to Monday 15 May 2023, breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon (individual) .
Hilda Baci is a 26-year-old chef who wanted to “put Nigerian cuisine on the map” and “to inspire young African women to chase their dreams” . She also said she wanted to “truly push my limits and test my abilities” .
She prepared a 35-item menu with dishes from different regions of Nigeria, such as jollof rice, egusi soup, pounded yam, akara, moi moi, suya, pepper soup, and many more. She cooked over 100 pots of food during her four-day kitchen stint .
She had a team of sous-chefs who helped her with prep work, washing up, and cleaning the kitchen area, but all the cooking was done by her alone. She was allowed to take a five-minute rest break for every continuous hour of cooking, which she could accumulate if not taken. These were the only times she could use the bathroom or sleep during the attempt .
Hilda Baci’s record attempt was a huge sensation on social media, with millions of people following her progress via an Instagram live stream. She also received visits from several high-profile Nigerian figures, such as the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu; and award-winning singer Tiwa Savage .
One of the most important rules of Guinness World Records food-related record attempts is that all items must be consumed after cooking. To this end, Hilda invited anyone who wanted to taste her delicious meals to come and eat for free. All leftover food was donated to the Festus Fajemilo Foundation, a charity that supports people living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus .
“My team’s and my goal for this event was to make it free to all and to feed the less privileged,” Hilda said .
Hilda Baci’s record was not easy to achieve. She faced some challenges along the way, such as power outages, equipment failures, exhaustion, and dehydration. She also had to overcome a mistake that cost her almost seven hours of cooking time because she took extra minutes for one of her rest breaks early on in the attempt .
She originally aimed to cook for 100 hours, but Guinness World Records deducted the extra minutes from her final total. Nevertheless, she still managed to beat the previous record of 87 hours 45 minutes set by Lata Tondon (India) in 2019 .
Hilda Baci’s record was short-lived though. Just three months later, Kenyan chef Maliha Mohammed surpassed her time and set a new record for the longest individual cooking marathon at 95 hours and 15 minutes . Maliha said she was inspired by Hilda’s achievement and wanted to challenge herself as well .
Hilda Baci congratulated Maliha on her success and said she was proud of her fellow African sister. She also hinted that she might try to reclaim her record in the future .
Hilda Baci is an example of how passion, determination, and creativity can lead to extraordinary feats. She has shown the world the richness and diversity of Nigerian cuisine and culture. She has also inspired many people to pursue their dreams and never give up.
What do you think of Hilda Baci’s record? Have you ever tried any of her dishes? Let us know in the comments below!
