Chef Hilda Baci has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice, weighing 8,780 kilograms (19,356 lb 9 oz).
The record, which was achieved in partnership with Gino on Friday in Victoria Island, Lagos, has been officially confirmed.
Announcing the feat on Monday on X, the Guinness World Record posted, “New record: Largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice—8,780kg (19,356 lb 9 oz) achieved by Hilda Baci and Gino in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.”
Baci, who rose to fame with her headline-making cook-a-thon, has once again brought global attention to Nigerian cuisine.
Guinness World Records had given words of support to the Nigerian celebrity as she attempted the cookery on Friday.
In a video, the record body asked, “What’s cooking’?”
“Best of luck to @hildabacicooks, who’s attempting a new record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice today.”
The recent attempt garnered a large audience of fans, celebrities, and food enthusiasts who assembled at the place to watch the show.
Prior to the event, the chef stated that the specifically built pot utilized for the challenge has a capacity of 22,619 liters, and her goal is to fill it up to 80%.
She added that this would require approximately 5,278 kilograms of raw basmati rice, which equates to 264 bags, but she rounded it up to 250 bags as part of her approach.
She later told reporters on Friday that she needed 200 bags of rice because the measuring crane and scale used to weigh the finished meal had a limit of 20,000 kilograms, including the weight of the custom-made pot.
“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 kilograms, I was hoping to achieve about 17,000 to 18,000 kilograms.
“Right now, if I include the weight of the pot, that’s about 20,000,” Hilda said.
According to her, the 200 bags boiled yielded 4,000 kilograms of rice, enough to feed 20,000 people.
The event took on a carnival-like atmosphere, with music, dancing, and visits by well-known figures such as Nollywood actress Funke Akindele, who took the stage to praise Baci’s fortitude before joining her at the cooking location to stir the tomato base for the rice.
The First Lady of Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun, was also present to show her support.
Other celebrities seen at the venue include dancers Kaffy, Tomike Adeoye, Enioluwa, Peller, Veekee James, Femi Atere, Tacha, Papaya, Samuel Banks, Alex Unusual, Folagbade Banks, and Spyro, among others.
