Guinness Book of World Records (GWR) has officially confirmed Nigerian chef, Hilda Effiong Bassey (aka Hilda Baci) as new world record holder for longest cooking marathon, with a time of 93 hours, 11 minutes.
The 26-year-old Akwa Ibom State indigene, who initiated the journey to stardom, themed ‘Cook a thon’ on Thursday, May 11 to Monday, May 15, prepared over 100 pots of food during her four-day kitchen stint.
The organisation, in a post on its official website, stated: “Following a thorough review of all the evidence, Guinness World Records can now confirm that Hilda Effiong Bassey, better known as Hilda Baci, has officially broken the record for the longest cooking marathon (individual), with a time of 93 hours, 11 minutes.
“As with all ‘longest marathon’ records, the participant is permitted a five-minute rest break for every continuous hour of activity. These rest breaks can be accumulated if not taken. They were the only times Hilda could use the bathroom or sleep during the attempt.”
The previous record of 87 hours, 45 minutes was set by an Indian, Lata Tondon, in 2019. Reacting via her twitter handle, Bassey tagged the confirmation as ‘the best news ever’.
According to her, she undertook the journey to “put Nigerian cuisine on world map” and “to inspire young African women to chase their dreams.”
MEANWHILE, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina and the Governing Council have expressed their support to Ekiti-born chef and student of the institution, Damilola Adeparusi, who had embarked on a cooking marathon since Friday, June 9, 2023, at Ilupeju-Ekiti.
Chef Adeparusi, a student of Mass Communication Department, is determined to set a cooking record of 120 hours to dethrone Hilda Baci as world record holder at a prepared residence in the Oye Council of Ekiti State.
Speaking at the venue, Prof. Fasina said he came with a team of council members to back the lofty endeavour, while congratulating her. He said: “Congratulations. I am so excited because one of our students has made us proud. It is worth a clapping ovation. I heard about it three days ago, and I was so amazed.
“Members of Council and management team are here to support you to hit that target of a 120-hour cooking stint, and we are very proud of you.
“This, we are not taking for granted. I want your manager to be in contact with me to make sure that whatever assistance we need to put in, we will do.
“As a university, we are very proud of you, and we will keep on watching to give you the necessary publicity that it deserves so that you can project this venture all over the world.” He went on: “As it is now, you are being put on the world map, cooking for 120 hours. And I am glad you set the record straight on your social media handles that the cook-a-thon is not in competition with anybody, but a desire orchestrated by the Spirit World Global Mission, a church you identified with.
“I am equally excited that you have put into practice what you have learnt as a student of Mass Communication. I want you to keep it up, we are praying for you so that you reach your 120-hour target.”
Dammy, as fondly called by friends, has since drawn global attention to herself ever since she started the cooking endeavour, as widely seen on her social media pages. She is also a song writer and poet.
Other members of delegation were council member, Sabo Inuwa; Alkali Kolo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. O.S. Shittu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof B.T. Opoola and Registrar, Mufutau Ibrahim.
