- Her all-time desire has been to overwrite the previous record of 86 cooking hours.
- During this cook-a-thon, she received immense support from all over the globe.
- Baci achieved an indelible triumph of cooking for 100 hours. Guinness World Records is reviewing the evidence and merit criteria before awarding her, if she followed the guidelines.
Hilda Bassey Effiong, commonly known as Hilda Baci, has embarked on an extraordinary adventure that has left the world in awe and captured everyone’s attention.
At just 27 years old, this multitalented Nigerian powerhouse is a visionary solopreneur, chef, TV producer, presenter, and actor.
Baci has set her sights on shattering the world record for the longest cooking time an individual achieves.
For 96 exhilarating hours, she has been engrossed in a cook-a-thon or a cooking marathon in the past few days, where she has been pushing her culinary skills to the final test in a cooking session in Nigeria.
This event to showcase Hilda’s talent is also expected to propel Nigeria onto the global map.
The journey
This audacious dream was planted five years ago when she entertained the idea of appearing in the Guinness Book of Records.
With each turn, her passion for pursuing it grew stronger.
She talked to her brother about her dream, and he supported her. When she first applied for the record-breaking attempt, she was excited and told to patiently wait as the reigning champion still held the position.
Looking back, she says it was not God’s time, and she did not have the numbers and preparation she has now.
Baci then took time and studied the strategies and techniques employed by the record holder. She says there needed to be more information about Lata Tondon, the Indian chef who astonishingly cooked for an astounding 87 hours and 45 minutes back in 2019.
Tondon left an indelible mark on the culinary world. With passion, determination, and knowledge, she is mesmerizing the world with her craft.
Her main challenge was getting in shape and losing weight, as working out was not her favorite activity. She knew how badly she wanted this by sacrificing to make drastic changes.
She changed her eating habits, hired a trainer, and hit the gym to pursue her goal.
Baci held a mock trial for 24 hours to prepare for the upcoming record-breaking attempt.
She realized the biggest challenge she had to overcome was the limited rest time allowed by the Guinness World Record—only five minutes after every hour.
She accumulated 30 minutes of rest time, which made it hard to continue.
However, her brother encouraged her to push through, knowing that the body would eventually adjust to the rigorous demands of the challenge.
Inspiring generations
Hilda’s drive to succeed is not just for her accomplishment but also to empower and inspire young girls to bring big.
She wants to challenge the perception that people underestimate black girls and encourage them to achieve greatness and aim higher. She hopes to push herself to break the world record to inspire future generations.
Baci had explained that she was taking on the challenge to shed light on the richness of the Nigerian cuisine.
“Nigerian cuisine is the best out there. The more recipes are propagated, the more people will be willing to try it. Nigerian food is such comfort food,” she said, during an interview with CNN.
Baci draws inspiration from fellow food entrepreneurs through their dedication and consistency.
The countdown started on Thursday afternoon, May 11, at 4 p.m. The event happened at the Amore Gardens in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.
Baci has received immense support from Nigeria, and the world as the event garnered traction both at the physical venue and online.
From celebrities to politicians, everyone has rallied behind her, recognizing the brilliance and audacity of her pursuit.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, had a surprise visit at the cook-a-thon to register his support.
Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President of Nigeria, also hopped in via a call to echo his support for Baci.
Setting new standards
And then, the moment of triumph arrived! By 8.32 a.m. on Monday, she had cooked for 88 hours and 32 minutes to equal the record.
She had targeted to break the record at 96 hours.
As the 96th hour approached, the atmosphere transformed into a jubilant celebration.
At 4 p.m., she took a U-turn and was determined to push the boundaries even further, adding more hours to the clock!
Baci said she was ready to push for 100 hours. With beautiful energy and indomitable spirit, she couldn’t help but dance, swaying to the rhythm of the afrobeat, applause, and cheers surrounding her. She has defied expectations and set her record—a world record.
Amidst the laughter and dancing, people began counting to the highly anticipated 100-hour mark.
Each passing second carried the weight of history.
The excitement intensified as the final moments approached, and when the clock struck that monumental milestone, an eruption of euphoria filled the Adore Gardens and the online space.
In that unforgettable moment, Hilda’s triumphant journey reached its peak!
The world watched in awe as she paved the way for future generations, inspiring women and pushing the masses to push their boundaries and leave a mark on the planet.
The world is celebrating this extraordinary woman who has redefined culinary history.
In the meantime, the
“We are aware of the record attempt and are looking forward to receiving the evidence for our Records Management Team to review, before we can confirm the record is official,” a Guinness World Records spokesperson clarified.
If she is found to have followed the guidelines as required, she is expected to be official conferred as the record holder.
Lessons therefrom
Baci’s cook-a-thon was more than just breaking records; it showed the power of the human mind and proved that anything is possible if you believe in yourself.
This is a symbol that greatness knows no bounds.
Baci is now a name forever etched in the annals of culinary history.
You, too, can leave a mark; with the right amount of conviction and courage, you can achieve the unimaginable.
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May your pursuit of greatness be seasoned with the unyielding desire and relentless and unwavering belief to create a legacy that inspires you to achieve the extraordinary.
