Nigerian Chef Hilda Baci beats Lata Tondon, creates New Guinness World Record

The Nigerian Jollof Queen, Hilda Baci, on Monday morning, surpassed the Guinness World Record for the longest cook-a-thon (cooking marathon).

Chef Lata Tondon set a record of 87 hours and 45 minutes in India in 2019; the Nigerian chef blew past that record at 7:46 a.m. on Monday, 15 May 2023, clocking 87 hours and 46 minutes.

The chef, who targets a 93 hours cooking marathon, has spent at least 87 hours showcasing her culinary skills using various local and intercontinental recipes to put Nigeria on the global culinary map

Over the last four days, the 27-year-old has made delicacies from Nigerian cuisines with over 110 meals.

Hilda has been cooking nonstop since 4 p.m. on Thursday, 11 May, and plans to keep cooking till 4 p.m. on Monday to reach her record goal of 96 hours.

The attempt also saw Hilda take an hour break in-between every 12 hours of cooking.

The four-day cooking marathon, which began on Thursday at 4 p.m., featured celebrity visitations from Tiwa Savage, Banky and Adesua Wellington, Teni the entertainer, Spyro, Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu, networking, games and brand activations.

The Cook-a-thon is an attempt by the actress and TV producer who has shown her culinary skills on various Television Cook shows and represented Nigeria at the Jollof Faceoff Competition in 2021, emerging as the winner

Though momentum started slow on Thursday, Hilda has become a viral sensation with a massive wave of support from Nigerians.

Many people online have wished her well, and politicians and celebrities have called or stopped by to encourage her at the Amore Gardens location where she’s been cooking.

All things being equal, Hilda will set a new world record at 4 p.m. on Monday if she attains a goal of 96 hours.