Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Baci has completed her Guinness World Record (GWR) attempt for the Largest Pot of Asun Jollof Rice in an eight-hour open cooking session at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the GWR holder embarked on the journey to cook 250 bags of Basmati rice for her 20,000 registered supporters to set a new world record on Friday. The cooking of the biggest pot of Asun Jollof Rice took more than nine hours.
Nine months in the making
Sharing her excitement after the cooking activities ended on Saturday morning, the chef revealed that her intention was never to set a world record.
Baci explained that the planning phase lasted nine months, the pot fabrication took two months, and the actual cooking spanned over nine hours.
“It was challenging but very exciting at the same time. We’re not done yet, as we still need to distribute the food and make sure everyone eats to their fill.
“I’m truly delighted with what we accomplished today. The process was hectic, designing and fabricating the pot alone took us two months. Overall, it took nine months of planning and over nine hours of cooking to bring this to life. A lot has happened, but right now, my mind feels at ease.
“When I first came up with this idea, I never thought of it as a world record attempt. I’m grateful to everyone who supported us, and I dedicate this meal to you all,” Baci said.
Guinness World Record
Baci aimed to cook 250 bags of rice in a massive 22,619-litre pot, setting a new world record for the Largest Pot of Nigerian Jollof Rice.
When she was about to commence the cooking, Baci faced her cheering crowd and declared, “Yes, I can officially confirm this pot is squeaky clean! I washed it myself.”
The Cook-a-thon winner started cooking at about 2:08 p.m. on Friday and wrapped up around 1:20 a.m. on Saturday. The meal was officially declared ready to serve at around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
The cooking session featured DJs and other entertainers who thrilled the cheering crowds in support of the food expert.
250 bags of rice
Additionally, Baci explained that she cooked 200 bags of rice, instead of the 250 bags she had earlier planned, citing resource and material considerations.
According to her, after weighing the pot, it was safer to keep the cooking resources and ingredients below 20,000 kilograms to match the maximum weight of the measuring device.
“If you noticed, when we started, we weighed the pot. We need to weigh every single thing that goes into the pot, and also when we are done.
“Now, the goal was that by the time I finished, after making 5,000 kilograms, I was hoping to achieve about 17,000 to 18,000 kilograms. If I include the weight of the pot, that brings it to about 20,000 kilograms.”
“Now, the average crane and measuring device can only weigh 20,000 kilograms. It is safer for me to go below 20,000 kilograms so that the scale can carry it all at once. That is basically why I had to cut down the quantity, and I only reduced it by 1,000 kilograms.
“This 4,000 kilograms of rice equals 200 bags of rice, and it will still feed 20,000 people. So, we are still on track. That is still a lot of food,” she explained.
Cooking process
Baci, alongside her team, stood around the pot with wooden sticks. They stirred the rice while Baci added ingredients and spices at intervals.
A few hours into the cooking, the chef approached her supporters with samples of her work for them to taste. Many praised the strong flavour of the food, while the larger portion of the rice was still on fire.
At 7:40 p.m. on Friday, her assistant chefs were seen adjusting the flame under the pot as the water seemed to have dried up.
At 7:42 p.m. on Friday, the Oblee crooner, Slim Case, got on stage to perform, while the cooking continued throughout the whole concert, with numerous artists and leaders making special appearances.
By 8:00 p.m., the chef and her team had emptied close to 200 bags of rice into the pot, as they pressed on in their bid to make history.
The cooking process was finally completed around 1:20 a.m. on Saturday, and the dish was served to her audience around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, 13 September 2025. The chef and her team now look forward to GWR’s verdict on the record attempt.
Guinness World Records reacts
Responding to Baci’s attempts on the new record, the GWR acknowledged the cooking events in an X post, wishing the chef luck as a decision on the record awaits the GWR’s approval.
“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 tweet read.
Celebrity support
While the cooking was ongoing, the celebrated chef broke down in tears as she checked the attention her attempt had attracted both at the venue and online.
Videos and pictures circulated on the internet showed Baci in tears while scrolling through reactions on her phone, which mirrored the on-site cheering crowd.
Notable dignitaries present at the event to show support for the chef included Ogun Sta’s First Lady, Bamidele Abiodun, who joined the chef in the cooking process, the Deputy Speaker of Lagos State, Lasbat Meranda; socialite Enioluwa; actress Funke Akindele; TikToker Peller; singer Spyro; and others.
Expressing her excitement at Baci’s efforts, Funke lauded the chef’s determination and tenacity.
“She wants to break another record, and she will break it in Jesus’ name. And we shall all celebrate this. I love Hilda because she is beautiful, she slays, and she is intelligent. She is beauty with brains,” the actress said.
She, however, encouraged the audience, especially young ladies, not only to rely on beauty but also to embrace hard work.
“So, young ladies here, you can look beautiful, but you have to hustle as well. You must do something special for yourself,” Funke added.
Cook-a-thon
This is the second time the chef has attempted a Guinness World Record in a cooking-related event.
In 2023, after she attempted to hold the longest cooking hours, Baci became the record holder for the longest cooking marathon.
She began her famous “Cook-a-thon” on 11 May 2023, and on May 15 at 7:45 a.m., she shattered the existing record of 87 hours, 45 minutes, previously held by Indian chef Lata Tondon.
Baci went further, cooking continuously for 100 hours, before Guinness officially confirmed her record at 93 hours, 11 minutes, after reviewing the evidence.
“After reviewing all the footage, we’re delighted to announce that Hilda Baci is the new record holder for the longest cooking marathon (individual),” Guinness World Records said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Hilda Baci
Baci was born on 20 September, 1995, in the Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. She is a trained sociologist, having earned her degree from Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State.
According to her, she was inspired by her mother, a seasoned chef. Hilda’s decision to pursue culinary education marked a turning point in her career, transforming a childhood passion into a global phenomenon.
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