‘All Eyes On Hilda’ As Chef Attempts World Record For Biggest Pot Of Jollof Rice
Two years after her historic Guinness World Record for marathon cooking, Chef Hilda Baci is chasing yet another feat.
This time, the celebrity chef is set to cook what she calls the ”world’s largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice.”
The free event, tagged Gino World Jollof Festival with Hilda Baci, kicked off on Friday at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
Baci announced earlier that over 20,000 participants had registered, with fans and celebrities already thronging the venue.
Long queues formed outside as attendees verified their registrations, while security tried to control the surging crowd.
The giant custom-made pot measures six metres wide and six metres tall, with a capacity of 22,619 litres.
Baci revealed that she would use approximately 5,278 kilogrammes of rice, roughly 264 bags, but later increased her target to 250 bags.
She described the attempt as “history in the making,” adding that no guest would pay to enjoy the massive serving.
Ahead of the event, videos showed Hilda and her mother praying at the venue beside the towering pot.
In another clip, the chef climbed inside the giant cauldron to wash it herself, joking about her unusual cleaning position.
“Yes, I can officially confirm this pot is squeaky clean,” she wrote on Instagram. “I rolled up my sleeves and washed it myself.”
She reassured fans that the food would be “the most amazing, hygienic meal you’ve ever eaten.”
Baci also said she had dreamed of this challenge nearly two years ago, after her marathon cook ignited national pride.
“Now, with you, that dream is coming alive,” she wrote. “Because what is jollof without you to share it with?”
In May 2023, Baci became a household name when she completed a 100-hour cooking marathon in Lagos.
The record-breaking attempt sparked a wave of Guinness challenges across Nigeria, projecting her status as a food influencer.
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Now, she hopes to etch her name once again in culinary history with the biggest pot of jollof rice ever made.
Chef Hilda Baci revealed that the massive pot was custom-fabricated in the Southwest, a process that lasted nearly three months.
She explained that sourcing the materials alone took about two months, while assembling and testing the giant pods took another month.
