Nigerian culinary star Hilda Baci has broken a new Guinness World Record after cooking the largest ever pot of jollof rice in Lagos.
Guinness World Records (GWR) confirmed the feat on social media, revealing that Baci’s massive creation weighed an astonishing 8,780kg. The dish, a beloved West African staple, was prepared over nine hours but the attempt nearly collapsed when the custom-built pot broke while being lifted for weighing. Fortunately, no rice was spilled.
Celebrating the achievement, Baci credited her team and supporters, saying, “This moment isn’t just mine it belongs to all of us.”
Despite the pot buckling twice during the process, her team worked diligently to gather video evidence for GWR verification. Baci later shared a video reacting to the news, writing: “This Guinness World Record was built on unity, love, and collective strength… We made history together for Nigeria, for Africa, and for everyone who believes in the power of food.”
Her epic jollof rice recipe included:
- 4,000kg of rice
- 500 cartons of tomato paste
- 600kg of onions
- 168kg of goat meat
All cooked in a 23,000-litre custom-made pot, which took 300 people two months to build.
Thousands gathered to witness the event, and the massive meal was later shared with attendees and passersby. Baci was assisted by a team of 10 chefs stirring the dish with long wooden paddles.
This isn’t her first headline-making record. In 2023, Baci became a national icon after cooking non-stop for 93 hours and 11 minutes, setting the record for the longest cooking marathon. Although that title has since been claimed by Australia’s Evette Quoibia (140 hours, 11 minutes), Baci’s latest record keeps her firmly in the spotlight.
Baci reflected on the year-long planning that went into the event: “We [Nigerians] are the giant of Africa, and jollof is a food everyone knows us for. It only makes sense we hold the record for the biggest pot.”
