Lagos, Nigeria – Crowds of food lovers packed the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos on Friday where Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Baci set out to cook what could be the world’s largest pot of jollof rice.
The 28 year old, who rose to fame in 2023 after cooking non stop for 93 hours to claim a Guinness World Record, returned to the spotlight with another daring attempt. Her new challenge formed part of the “Gino Jollof Festival,” hosted in partnership with culinary brand Gino.
Baci’s team poured 4,000 kilograms of rice, 500 cartons of tomato paste and 600 kilograms of onions into a custom steel pot standing six metres wide and six metres tall, built over two months by 300 people. The pot can hold nearly 23,000 litres.
She told BBC Pidgin that it took a year of planning before she was ready for the challenge. “We are the giant of Africa, and jollof is a food that everybody knows Africans for,” Baci said, adding that she wanted Nigeria to claim the record for the largest pot of the popular dish.
Before she fired up the burners, Pastor Bolaji Idowu of Harvesters International Christian Centre prayed for her and blessed the effort. The atmosphere was festive, with social media personalities such as Enioluwa Adeoluwa, Tomike Adeoye, Folagade Banks and Veekee James cheering her on.
The event drew more than 20,000 registered attendees, according to organisers, with Gen Zs, millennials, celebrities and ordinary food lovers flocking to taste the famous Nigerian dish. Once ready, the rice was served to the crowd, as Baci promised an “amazing and hygienic” meal.
Guinness World Records is expected to review the evidence before confirming if Nigeria now holds the title for the biggest pot of jollof rice.
Discussion about this post