By: Nwanma Ogidi
Chef Helda Baci has become a national sensation after cooking non-stop for more than 100 hours to break the world record. Hilda Baci used over 100 different dishes since turning on her cooker at 15:00 GMT on Thursday.
The Nigerian chef on Monday set a new global record for the longest hours of nonstop cooking as she cooked for 100 hours, surpassing the current record. Politicians and celebrities egged her on, as has the boisterous crowd watching her cook.
The current record is 87 hours and 45 minutes set in Rewa, central India in 2019 by Indian chef Lata Tondon.
Hilda Baci had been cooking since last week Thursday when she set out to beat the Guinness World Record of 87 hours and 45 minutes set in 2019 by Lata Tondon, an Indian chef.
At around 19:45 GMT on Monday, Baci cooked for the 100th hour in the Lekki area of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, to become a national sensation in the West African nation. Thousands who gathered at the scene jubilated and sang her praises as she stopped cooking a few minutes after.
By attempting to beat the record, the chef said on Thursday she wanted to show how hardworking and determined Nigerian youths are and also as a campaign for young African women who are sidelined in society.
“Even when it comes to the brands you want to work with, it is like you have to go an extra mile to be taken seriously,” said Baci, adding that she hoped too that the world would learn more about Nigerian cuisines.
At 15:00 GMT on Thursday, she started to cook dozens of Nigerian delicacies under supervision, ranging from soups to stew and various proteins. Jollof rice, one of the most iconic West African dishes, is also featured on the menu.
She had only five-minute breaks every hour or an accumulated one hour after a stretch of 12 hours for everything else, from bathing to medical checkups and resting.
Though no officials of the organization are at the venue in the upmarket area of Lekki in Lagos, CCTV cameras were installed to monitor the event.
She has cooked mostly Nigerian meals, such as jollof rice, as well as different types of rice and pasta, and has also made akara – a popular street food made from deep-fried mashed beans. The food is being handed out to invited guests.
She was allowed one assistant at a time and can take a five-minute break each hour, or the equivalent over several hours.
“This attempt is proof of the strength young people can exhibit with the right platform and support,” she said.
Baci is showing visible signs of physical exertion and is getting cold compresses applied to her head, and foot massages during her breaks. A medical assistant is also checking her vital signs.
Her attempt has captivated the country, with politicians and celebrities stopping by to cheer her on.
In 2021 she defeated other contestants at the maiden edition of the “Jollof Faceoff”, including a Ghanaian rival in the final, to claim the crown for the best version of West Africa’s fiercely contested spicy rice meal.
She said her passion for cooking was inspired by her mother’s culinary techniques and that her recipes were homemade.
Baci is one of Nigeria’s fast-rising chefs. She owns My Food by Hilda, a restaurant in the bustling city of Lagos.
In addition to standing for 100 hours, cooking over 100 dishes, and serving over 3,000 guests, Baci achieved this feat while on her period, according to her manager.
As thousands of locals and celebrities cheered her on at the scene through day and night, many more were monitored online via several streaming platforms.
The current title holder is Lata Tondon, an Indian chef who achieved this feat back in 2019. Tondon cooked for 87 hours and 45 minutes in Rewa, central India.
Meanwhile, Guinness World Records says it is reviewing the evidence before saying if she has broken the record.
The Guinness World Records tweeted it was aware of the chef’s attempt to break the cooking record. “We need to review all the evidence first before officially confirming a record,” the global brand said.
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