Hilda Baci sets Guinness World Record with largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice
Nigerian celebrity chef, Hilda Baci, has once again written her name in the Guinness World Records, this time by cooking the largest pot of jollof rice.
The Akwa Ibom-born chef, whose real name is Hilda Bassey, teamed up with Gino Nigeria last Friday to prepare a record-breaking 8,780 kg of Nigerian-style jollof rice during an eight-hour cooking session at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event drew hundreds of excited supporters, with music performances adding colour to the occasion. Baci’s giant pot of rice produced over 16,000 plates, which were served to guests in line with the record rules that ensured none of the food went to waste.
Her recipe included 4,000 kg of basmati rice, 164 kg of goat meat, 220 kg of seasoning cubes, and 600 kg of her special jollof pepper mix. She revealed that the challenge required “nine hours of fire, passion and teamwork,” and used 1,200 kg of gas.
Speaking after the feat, Baci admitted it was tougher than she imagined. “I didn’t realise it would be this hard — it has been a real challenge. It took a lot of hard work, but achieving the record is truly satisfying. This record also belongs to the people of Nigeria, because they all contributed to its success,” she said.
Baci first captured global attention in May 2023 when she set the record for the longest individual cooking marathon, cooking for 93 hours and 11 minutes in Lagos. Although that record has since been broken twice, her new achievement has once again placed Nigeria firmly on the global stage in the long-running jollof rice rivalry with Ghana.
