In a sizzling culinary showdown, Hilda Effiong Bassey, AKA Hilda Baci spiced up the Guinness World Records by shattering the record for the longest cooking marathon. The 26-year-old Nigerian chef, driven by her passion for putting Nigerian cuisine on the global map, cooked up a storm for a remarkable 93 hours and 11 minutes, breaking the previous record held by an Indian.
Previously, the record was held by an Indian chef Lata Tondon, who cooked for 87 hours and 45 minutes uninterrupted.
A fiery cooking marathon
Armed with determination and a few pots and pans, Hilda embarked on her cooking marathon on May 11. She left the kitchen only after four gruelling days; on May 15.
During her marathon, she whipped up over 100 mouthwatering pots of food, impressing both her taste buds and the world.
Hilda initially looked to conquer the 100-hour mark. Alas, a few long work breaks cost her a century. Hilda would have learnt the importance of keeping a watchful eye on the clock after nearly seven hours were deducted from her final total.
Beyond the personal challenge, Hilda set out on this epic cooking adventure to inspire young African women to pursue their dreams.
With her culinary talents on full display, she wanted to showcase the rich flavours of Nigerian cuisine to the world.
Breaking the record was just the icing on the cake for her ambitions.
Inspired by her mother, Lynda Ndukwe, who is also a chef, Hilda rose to fame by hosting the popular television show Dine on a Budget in 2020.
A menu marathon
Hilda meticulously prepared a 35-item menu and planned every meal to perfection with her team, ensuring the availability of all necessary ingredients, and restocking whenever required.
Hilda skillfully cooked at least two items simultaneously. While a sous chef was permitted to assist, Hilda handled all the cooking herself, showcasing her culinary prowess and multitasking abilities.
The Nigerian public flocked to the site to taste food like egusi soup, and jollof rice that she kept on cooking. The leftovers were donated to a foundation.
From kitchen to stardom
Hilda received visits from several notable figures, including the Nigerian Vice-President, Kashim Shettima.
The world followed her progress through an Instagram live stream, and the crazy fans caused the Guinness World Records website to crash for two days.