Hilda Baci cooking

Nigerian celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci, has successfully completed her attempt at setting a new record for the Largest Pot of Asun Jollof Rice during the World Jollof Festival at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event, which began on Friday afternoon, featured an open cooking session that lasted over nine hours and drew thousands of supporters and spectators. Baci had planned to cook 250 bags of Basmati rice but eventually prepared 200 bags in a massive 22,619-litre pot, enough to feed an estimated 20,000 people.

“This project took nine months of planning, two months of pot fabrication, and over nine hours of cooking,” Baci revealed. “I never even thought of it as a world record attempt at first. I’m truly delighted with what we accomplished today.”

Cooking Marathon
Baci and her team began cooking at about 2:08 p.m. on Friday, finishing around 1:20 a.m. on Saturday, 13 September 2025. The dish was officially declared ready to serve at 2:00 a.m. The marathon cooking session included DJs, live performances and appearances by notable personalities.

The chef explained that she opted for 200 bags of rice — roughly 4,000 kilograms — instead of 250 to remain within the 20,000-kilogram limit of the crane and measuring device used for weighing the pot.

Guinness World Records Reacts
In an X post, Guinness World Records acknowledged the cooking event and wished Baci luck as it reviews the evidence for certification. “What’s cookin’? Best of luck to Hilda Baci, who’s attempting a new record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice today,” the post read.

Celebrity and Public Support
The event attracted a large crowd and celebrity supporters, including Ogun State’s First Lady Bamidele Abiodun, Lagos State Deputy Speaker Lasbat Meranda, actress Funke Akindele, socialite Enioluwa, singer Spyro and others. Funke Akindele praised Baci’s resilience, encouraging young women to combine beauty with hard work and innovation.

Baci was visibly emotional as she scrolled through online reactions while cooking. Videos of her wiping tears circulated widely on social media, reflecting the massive support for her effort.

Her Journey So Far
This marks Hilda Baci’s second major Guinness World Record attempt. In May 2023, she became the official record holder for the Longest Cooking Marathon (Individual) after cooking continuously for 100 hours, which Guinness confirmed at 93 hours, 11 minutes after review.

Born on 20 September 1995 in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Baci graduated from Madonna University, Okija, with a degree in Sociology. Inspired by her mother, a seasoned chef, she has transformed her childhood passion for cooking into a global phenomenon.