Nigerian chef breaks Guinness record for 100 hours non-stop cooking

Nigeria chef Hilda Bassey (age 27) successfully completed the challenge to cook nonstop for more than 100 hours, setting a Guinness world record. The previous record was 87 hours and 45 minutes.

Bassey cooked several African cuisines, including the popular West African dish Jollof and several dishes of Nigerian cuisine, from 3:00 p.m. on Thursday (local time) to 7:45 p.m. on Monday (local time) at a location in Lagos, Nigeria. Break time was only five minutes per hour or one hour per 12 hours. The event was attended by thousands of people, ceaselessly cheering on the chef for four days and nights. Bassey gave away the food she created to the audience.

Bassy, who learned cooking from her mother, won a cooking competition in 2021 and instantly became famous in Nigeria. She runs a restaurant and cooking classes, appears on shows, and even professionally acts. “I wanted to show the determination and diligence of Nigerian youth,” she explained when asked about her challenge. The Associated Press reported that she supports marginalized young African women.

The Guinness world record committee said that they have yet to confirm‎ that all their criteria have been met before officially announcing recognition. “Hilda's drive, ambition, and resilience have brought great interest and insight into the uniqueness of Nigerian food,” wrote Nigerian President Muhmmadu Buhari on Twitter. "This is a great day for Nigeria."


Jeong-Soo Hong hong@donga.com