Hilda Effiong Bassey, widely known as Hilda Baci, a renowned Nigerian chef, has responded to the efforts of other chefs aiming to surpass her Guinness World Record.
Hilda, who gained popularity after breaking the record for the longest cooking time by an individual, expressed her thoughts on the matter.
The 26-year-old restaurateur from Akwa Ibom received immense support from Nigerians both online and in person during her four-day cooking marathon in Lekki, Lagos. The venue was packed with people, including notable public figures who came to show their encouragement.
Hilda cooked in a makeshift kitchen for four days, starting on Thursday, May 11, and finishing on Monday, May 15, producing almost 100 pots of food, GWR said on its website.
“When I found out, I cried, prayed and screamed,” Bassey told CNN after learning of her record-breaking feat.
“Then I called my mum and we cried some more. I am so happy. Everything and all the hard work was worth it. I said I wanted to be a record holder and now I am. This is for all my team members and for all the hard work,” Bassey added.
Although Bassey cooked for 100 hours, she was penalized for an error in her scheduled rest breaks, according to the world record committee.
“There was a miscalculation when it came to Hilda’s rest breaks, meaning we are unable to award the 100 hours claimed,” the adjudicator said.
The longest cookathon title was previously held by Indian chef Lata Tondon, who cooked for 87 hours and 45 minutes in 2019.
However, it seems that the support Hilda received has motivated many Nigerians to make attempts at breaking various records, including the one she recently set. Several Nigerian chefs have embarked on cooking marathons in an effort to surpass Hilda’s record time of 93 hours and 11 minutes.
In an exclusive interview with Legit NG, Hilda Baci finally shared her feelings regarding these attempts. She considers herself a trailblazer and an inspiration to others in the culinary field.
“I feel i started a trend or like I am pretty much a trailblazer because only a trailblazer will start something and other people will want to do it”.
“I also want to thank Nigerians. They are so awesome. The support was so great. We really did something amazing,” Bassey said.
