Hilda Baci speaks on pot collapse at Jollof record attempt

Celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Effiong Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, has described the dramatic collapse of her cooking pot during her recent jollof rice record attempt as a “blessing in disguise.”

The incident occurred on September 12, 2025, at the World Jollof Festival in Lagos, where Baci and her team prepared nearly 8,780 kilograms of rice in a custom-built pot with a capacity of about 23,000 litres.

Speaking in a video interview with HipTV, the 30-year-old chef admitted that the moment initially left her terrified.

“When we had the mishap with the pot, my first few seconds, my heart was in my hands. I was very scared, very worried,” she recounted.

Despite the scare, Baci explained that her main focus was not just on setting the record but ensuring that the massive meal was served.

“For me, the record was not the most important thing. It was important that people got to taste and enjoy the food we had spent hours making,” she said.

The pot reportedly caved in while being lifted by a crane for weighing, causing its supporting legs to give way. Fortunately, the rice remained intact.

Reflecting on the moment, Baci said the collapse ultimately made food distribution easier:

“I would say it was a good thing that the pot caved because it made food distribution a lot easier… it was a blessing in disguise.”

Her team later submitted video and photographic evidence of the weighing process to Guinness World Records, which officially confirmed her as the record holder for the largest pot of jollof rice cooked at once.

Baci, who first gained global attention in 2023 after cooking for 93 hours and 11 minutes to set the record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual, described this latest feat as another testimony of God’s grace in her life.