Nigerian celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Effiong Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, has shed light on why she decided to reduce her initial plan of cooking 250 bags of rice to 200 in her bold attempt to set another culinary record.
The chef, who became a household name in 2023 after her marathon cook-a-thon that earned her global recognition, began this new challenge at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos. The event attracted thousands of spectators, including food lovers, celebrities, and dignitaries who turned the gathering into a lively carnival with music, dancing, and side attractions.
Among those who graced the occasion were Nollywood actress Funke Akindele, dance professional Kaffy, and Bamidele Abiodun, the First Lady of Ogun State.
Addressing journalists, Baci explained the technical reason behind the reduction in the amount of rice cooked.
She said:
“If you notice when we started we weighed the pot and we need to weigh every single thing that goes into the pot when we’re done.
“The goal was that by the time I was done making 5,000 kilogrammes I was hoping to achieve about 17,000 to 18,000 kilogrammes. Right now, if I include the weight of the pot, that’s about 20,000.
“The average crane and the measuring device can only weigh 20,000 kilogrammes.
“It’s safer for me to go below 20,000 kilogrammes so that my scale can carry it all at the same time and basically that is why I had to cut down on the quantity and I only cut it down by a thousand kilogrammes.”
Despite cutting down, the 200 bags of rice still weighed 4,000 kilogrammes, enough to feed more than 20,000 people.
“This 4,000 kilogrammes of rice is 200 bags of rice and it will still feed 20,000 people so we’re still up there,” she stated.
The chef noted that this was her most ambitious project to date, requiring nearly one year of planning. Fabricating the massive custom-made cooking pot took two months, while organizing the logistics of the event spanned nine months.
“Honestly, Gino and I figuring this whole thing out was hectic. Figuring out how to fabricate the pots, it took Mr. Ayo two months to figure out and fabricate the pots. Then it took us about nine months to plan this event and it took us almost nine hours to make the entire meal,” she explained.
Although challenging, Baci described the experience as rewarding:
“It was challenging but very exciting at the same time. We’re not done because we need to distribute the food and make sure that everybody that has come here eats to their satisfaction. So we’re still on it but so far I’m very happy, you know, with where we are and what we’ve been able to achieve today.”
Interestingly, she clarified that the project was not originally designed for the Guinness World Record body in London but was meant as a food experience to unite Nigerians.
“When I came up with this idea, I did not think about it as a world record, quite frankly,” she said.
“I mean, have you looked around? There’s a lot of you. Some of you came with your cooler, so we need to make sure everybody’s fed. We’re feeding the nation.”
The Guinness World Record organization also acknowledged her attempt, posting on X (formerly Twitter):
“What’s cookin’? Best of luck to @hildabacicooks who’s attempting a new record for the largest serving of Nigerian style jollof rice today.”
The recognition came just two years after her globally celebrated 2023 cook-a-thon.
okay.ng reports that Baci’s new challenge has already captured national and international attention, once again highlighting Nigeria’s culinary heritage.
