Hilda Baci Wants You to Know She’s Grateful for the Unwavering Passion to See Her Succeed

Nigerian Chef and Restaurateur Hilda Baci, has successfully set a new Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual. Originally aiming to cook for 96 hours, surpassing Chef Lata Tandon’s previous record, Hilda’s determination led her to extend her attempt to an impressive 100 hours and 40 minutes, surpassing the existing record holder by over 13 hours.

The cook-a-thon started on May 11th at 4:20 p.m. and ended on May 15th at 8:40 p.m. During the cook-a-thon, Hilda prepared over 200 meals that were served to over 4,000 people. The recipes included Jollof Rice, Coconut Rice, Asun Pasta, Nsala Soup, Akara, Pancakes, Edika Ikong, Fisherman Soup, and Ofada Sauce, to mention a few.

The event witnessed the support of Nigerians, who braved all weather conditions to cheer Hilda. She got a congratulatory message and encouragement from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Hilda's drive, ambition and resilience have brought great interest and insight into the uniqueness of Nigerian food. She is now a cultural icon, and I believe that this feat will inspire many more young people, in Nigeria and beyond, to follow in her footsteps.

— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) May 15, 2023

She also received calls from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the incumbent Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno.

Celebrities and famous personalities, including Tiwa Savage, Kate Henshaw, Shawn Faqua, Dremo, Charles Okocha, Segun Arinze, Sisi Yemmie, Diary of a Kitchen Lover, Ify Mogekwu, Timi Dakolo, Enioluwa, Gina Ojo, and Di’ja, among others, visited the event.

The children of the Festus Fajemilo Foundation, a non-governmental organization raising awareness about hydrocephalus and spina bifida, also visited.

Expressing her gratitude for the love and support received during the Cookathon, Hilda Baci said,

I am so amazed at the outpour of love from Nigerians towards achieving this record. The first six hours were the toughest for me, I had to pray to God for strength. I appreciate everyone who took time out to support and encourage me by visiting the venue to cheer me on or driving the conversation on social platforms. Your unwavering passion to see me succeed through this attempt is heartfelt. I am grateful to my family, the various teams that worked with me on this project, and fans from all over the world who kept the passion going.

The Guinness Book of Records attempt will be ratified after verification of the proceedings by the Official World Record Office. This will include ensuring that the attempt is well-measured, standardized, and verifiable.

Hilda’s Cookathon was sponsored by her restaurant, My Food By Hilda, as well as GB Foods, makers of Gino, Gino Max, Bama, and Jumbo, Woodscope, Arla, Baigewallet, Filmhouse, Uber, Monty Suites, the Culinary Arts Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CAPA).