Nigeria Supports Hilda Baci as She Breaks World Cooking Record

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Nigeria chef, Hilda Baci, owner of a food brand known as “My Food by Hilda”, is trending nationwide. You can barely scroll through twitter, Instagram, facebook or whatsapp statuses without seeing an encouraging message about her. In a short time, she has become a national treasure.

But why is this young woman receiving so much support? Well Hilda set her sights on breaking the Guinness World Record for the “longest cooking marathon by an individual.” Here was how it went.

Who is Hilda Baci?

Meet Hilda Bassey Effiong, a talented young Nigerian chef hailing from Nsit Ubium LGA in Akwa Ibom State. With her food brand, My Food by Hilda, located in Lagos, she has made a name for herself in the culinary world. At just 27 years old, Hilda is already a renowned foodpreneur, actress, and TV presenter, captivating audiences with her exceptional homemade recipes.

Raised in a Christian family, Hilda completed her early education under the loving guidance of her parents. She pursued higher education at Madonna University Okija, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, providing her with a strong foundation for her diverse career.

Why is Hilda Baci Popular?

Recently, Hilda embarked on an extraordinary culinary journey, cooking non-stop for four consecutive days. Determined and passionate, she tirelessly stood while preparing her delectable dishes, showcasing her unwavering dedication to her craft. Her cooking marathon began on Thursday, May 11, and ended by the evening of Monday, May 15, 2023.

With her expertise as a chef, Hilda has gained a loyal following both online and offline. As the CEO and Head Chef of MyFoodbyHilda, she tantalizes taste buds and inspires aspiring cooks through captivating cooking videos and more. Notably, Hilda has set a remarkable milestone in the culinary world, holding the record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual in world history.

Hilda’s journey exemplifies passion, talent, and perseverance, as she continues to make a significant impact in the culinary sphere. Stay tuned to witness the magic she creates through her culinary delights and be inspired by her remarkable achievements.

The Longest Cooking Record

The record of longest cooking marathon by an individual was previously held by Indian chef Lata Tondon in 2019 with a total cooking time of 87 hours, 45 minutes, and 00 secs. 27-year-old Hilda Baci decided to beat that time by a whole 9 hours reaching for a record of 96 hours.

This put her on track for a 4-day cooking marathon, as said earlier, that began on May 11th at Amore Gardens in Lekki, Lagos State. The event called “Hilda Baci Cook-a-thon” was serving free food that she was cooking, had music and drinks, as well as discounted Uber rides to the event as Uber is one of her many partners.

The rules of the game were not so simple, she was to complete the challenge standing, unless she was on a break in which she was only permitted one five-minute break every hour. The breaks could be combined, meaning she could take a thirty-minute break every six hours instead. She was not allowed to take any stimulants such as coffee or energy drinks.

She wouldn’t get a full night’s sleep through the four days, and would have to settle for short naps every few hours. She did have the liberty to cook whatever she wanted and she chose to cook a series of authentic Nigerian meals such as Jollof rice, fried rice, akara and many more. Every meal cooked and every plate served was recorded.

Why is Hilda Baci Cooking?

Hilda’s love for cooking and culinary prowess earned her the grand prize of $5000 at the maiden edition of the Jollof Face-off Competition in 2021. But, it was her determination that brought her to beating the Guiness Book Record.

In an interview, a few weeks before her record breaking event, she said, “The journey to the cook-a-thon started five years ago. It is one of my biggest aspirations and I am glad that I took the bold step to embark on this adventure. I have taken time to prepare for this psychologically and I am proud to finally take on this challenge.”

“The cook-a-thon is also an opportunity to tell some of the positive stories that come from Africa through the meals that we make.”

“This attempt is also proof of the strength young people can exhibit with the right platform and support. I look forward to receiving support from people across the world to achieve this feat.”

Support From Nigerians

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Her quest to make history has generated considerable interest in real life and on social media since the start of the cook-a-thon. Millions of viewers have been tuning in to stream her progress live. And thousands of people have been going to the venue to watch and cheer her on, under the sun, in the pouring rain and with some even staying there overnight chanting “Go Hilda!”

Hilda’s has received an overwhelming outpour of love and support from Nigerians, everywhere. Showing her that her win is not just for her but for an entire nation.

Support From Famous Personalities

Hilda Baci has received a lot of shout outs these past few days but more noticeably was the recognition from the President of Nigeria, the President elect, the Lagos state governor, the youth’s fave Peter Obi, a former vice president and African music giants Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Tiwa Savage.