Hilda Baci is preparing to cook 250 bags of rice in a custom-made pot with a capacity of 22,619 litres, which is expected to be filled to 80 percent. Gino, the sponsor of the Nigerian chef’s much-anticipated World Jollof Festival, has announced a change of venue for the historic event.
In August, Hilda had revealed that the festival would be held on Friday at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos. However, in a statement on Thursday, the organisers confirmed that the venue has now been shifted to Eko Hotel Car Park B, Lagos. According to the organisers, the new location offers a larger and more fitting stage for what is expected to be one of Nigeria’s biggest cultural and culinary celebrations. With capacity to host thousands of attendees, the venue will better accommodate the overwhelming number of people who have already registered.
Beyond the Guinness World Record attempt, the festival will also showcase food exhibitions, cultural performances, live entertainment, and experiences designed to highlight Jollof rice as a symbol of pride, resilience, and community. Oreoluwa Atinmo, Marketing Director of GBfoods Nigeria, explained that the decision to move the event was to ensure safety and comfort, given the huge public interest.
“To accommodate this event safely and comfortably, we have moved the event to Eko Hotel Car Park B, a venue that reflects the scale and ambition of what we are about to achieve. This world record attempt is a celebration of Jollof, and it deserves a space that allows more people to share in the experience, enjoy the culture, and be part of an unforgettable moment,” she said.
Hilda added that with the new venue, the festival would be bigger, bolder, and more unifying than ever. She described it as a landmark celebration where food, culture, and community would come together in record-breaking fashion. She noted that the massive support since the announcement has been overwhelming, with thousands of people registered to attend. “Jollof represents who we are, our culture, our togetherness, and our shared pride. With Gino, I am excited to make history, and I invite everyone to come, celebrate with us, and witness this feat of passion, food, and heritage,” she said.
The project, which Hilda described as the fulfilment of a long-held dream, has been in planning for two years. The specially designed pot, measuring six metres in width, about 1.1 metres in height, and 1.3 metres in depth, caved in under its weight during tests. To make the Jollof rice tasty, she plans to use garlic, ginger, thyme, rosemary, curry, and other spices.
In June 2023, Guinness World Records confirmed Hilda as the record holder for the longest individual cooking marathon, surpassing the previous record of 87 hours and 45 minutes set in 2019 by Indian chef Lata Tondon. Although Hilda initially targeted 100 hours, GWR explained that a minor error reduced her final tally. She cooked more than 100 pots of food over four days. Her reign was later overtaken by Irish chef Alan Fisher, who cooked continuously for 119 hours and 57 minutes, 24 hours longer than Hilda’s record.
Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/
