A New Milestone for Hilda Baci
Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Baci has once again made history by receiving a second Guinness World Record plaque. This time, the recognition is for her creation of the world’s largest pot of jollof rice. The achievement marks a significant milestone in her career and solidifies her status as a culinary icon.
Hilda Baci’s journey to this record began on Friday, September 12, 2025, when she started the process with a heartfelt prayer at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, Nigeria. The event was filled with excitement, as fans reminisced about her previous record-breaking 93-hour, 11-minute cooking marathon in May 2023, which first earned her a place in the Guinness World Records (GWR).
A Culinary Triumph
According to Guinness World Records, the record-setting dish weighed an impressive 8,780 kilograms (19,356 pounds) and was prepared during a massive cookout in Lagos. With two official Guinness titles, Hilda Baci has become Nigeria’s first and most decorated chef to hold multiple world records.
Sharing photos of her latest plaque on Instagram, Hilda expressed her gratitude for the milestone. She wrote:
“Your plaques are finally here!!! Two records. Two plaques. One story of faith, fire, and history. Twice, God showed up for me. Twice, we made history for Nigeria. And not just any records — two of the biggest culinary records ever set.”
She added that the feat, achieved in collaboration with Gino, reached over five billion people across the world and showcased what’s possible when passion meets purpose. She went on to quote Isaiah 61:7, writing:
“A two-time Guinness World Record Holder!!! Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance… and everlasting joy will be yours.”
The Event That Broke Records
Hilda’s jollof rice cookout was more than just a culinary event; it was a festival that attracted over 20,000 food lovers, celebrities, and influencers. The pot itself was massive, custom-built to withstand the heat and pressure of cooking nearly nine tonnes of rice, tomatoes, peppers, and meat.
The event was marked by music, dancing, and round-the-clock teamwork as Hilda and her crew worked tirelessly to achieve the remarkable feat. Every portion of the meal was distributed to guests and charitable organisations, meeting GWR verification standards and ensuring no food was wasted.
Following her victory, many fans asked if the pot would be sold. However, the celebrity chef revealed she intends to keep it as a symbol of perseverance and national pride. In her words:
“So many people have asked about that pot… but I think that one is a symbol of a lot of beautiful things. It’s a symbol of history. It’s a symbol of faith. It’s a symbol of innovation… Right now, I can tell you we’re definitely not going to auction it. We’re not going to sell it. We’re going to make sure that as many people as possible get to see it in its glory.”
A Year of Preparation and Effort
In the massive custom-built pot, Hilda Baci described the record attempt as her most ambitious culinary project yet, one that demanded months of planning, physical endurance, and mental strength.
According to her, the feat took nearly a year of preparation, from designing the pot and sourcing ingredients to assembling a dedicated team capable of managing the intense logistics behind cooking almost nine tonnes of jollof rice.
It took approximately 9 months to plan the event. Cooking the Jollof rice took a total of nine hours, with five hours of that time going into making the sauce.
From her 2023 cooking marathon to this record-breaking pot of jollof rice, Hilda Baci has become a global ambassador for Nigerian cuisine, and her journey continues to inspire millions across Africa and beyond.