World jollof festival: Hilda Baci completes Guinness World Record attempt for largest pot of jollof rice
Biggest jollof pot
Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Baci has completed her Guinness World Record (GWR) attempt for the Largest Pot of Asun Jollof Rice after more than nine hours of continuous cooking at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The record attempt, which began around 2:08 p.m. on Friday, September 12, ended at about 1:20 a.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2025. The dish was officially declared ready for serving at 2:00 a.m.
Baci, who already holds the GWR for the longest cooking marathon, initially planned to cook 250 bags of basmati rice but eventually prepared 200 bags, citing safety concerns with the pot’s maximum weight capacity of 20,000 kilograms. “This will still feed 20,000 people,” she explained.
She revealed that the project took nine months of planning, including two months to fabricate the 22,619-litre pot. “It was challenging but exciting. I never really thought of it as a world record attempt. I dedicate this to everyone who supported us,” Baci said.
The cooking session featured live music and performances by entertainers, including Slim Case, while dignitaries such as Ogun State’s First Lady, Bamidele Abiodun; Lagos Deputy Speaker, Lasbat Meranda; socialite Enioluwa; actress Funke Akindele; TikToker Peller; and singer Spyro, showed up in support.
At one point, Baci broke down in tears as she scrolled through the massive online reactions to her effort.
Guinness World Records acknowledged her attempt in a post on X, writing: “What’s cookin’? Best of luck to Hilda Baci, who’s attempting a new record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice today.”
This marks Baci’s second GWR attempt after her famous 2023 “Cook-a-thon,” where she cooked continuously for 100 hours and was later confirmed as the official record holder with 93 hours, 11 minutes.
Born on September 20, 1995, in Nsit Ubium, Akwa Ibom State, Hilda Baci has grown from a trained sociologist to one of Nigeria’s most celebrated chefs, inspired by her mother’s culinary passion.
