By Zera Nambu
Celebrated Nigerian chef Hilda Baci cooked 200 bags of rice on Friday and successfully completed her record to cook what has been declared the world’s largest pot of Nigerian Jollof rice.
Assisted by volunteers, she cooked the vast meal in a giant pot specially designed for the event that was physically attended by thousands.
The event, which took place in Lagos, drew immense public interest and anticipation as people camped at the site over Friday night.
The feast followed months of careful planning and after a day filled with energy and excitement, Baci’s enormous pot of Nigerian Jollof rice was officially declared ready.
This latest success story shows Baci’s dedication to the art of cooking and her desire to share the delicious tastes of Nigerian food with everyone.
The event has not only thrilled the country but also shown again how food can bring people together and create a feeling of unity.
Celebrities, fans and even a state Governor were among thousands who came to support her.
She had initially planned to cook 250 bags of rice but later reduced it to 200 due to technical issues.
“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,” she said in a statement quoted by The Punch.
“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.”
Hilda Baci had become a household name in Nigeria and around Africa after she won the Guinness World Record for the longest time spent cooking. She attained the feat at 93 hours 11 minutes.
She was overtaken the next year by Australian Chef Evette Quoibia, who cooked for 140 hours, 11 minutes, 11 seconds.