Nigerian sensational celebrity chef, Hilda Baci, has revealed why she decided to cook 200 bags of rice instead of the initially planned 250 bags for her Guinness World Record attempt for the largest serving of Nigerian-style Jollof rice.
In a statement, Baci said the decision to scale down the rice quantity was due to technical reasons related to the measuring crane and scale designed to weigh the final dish.
The custom-made pot’s weight, combined with the rice, would exceed the 20,000-kilogram limit of the measuring device.
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“If you notice when we started, we weighed the pot and we needed to weigh every single thing that goes into the pot when we’re done.
“The average crane and the measuring device can only weigh 20,000 kilogrammes. It’s safer for me to go below 20,000 kilogrammes so that my scale can carry it all at the same time,” Baci explained.
Despite reducing the quantity, Baci emphasized that the 200 bags of rice cooked still amount to 4,000 kilograms, enough to feed 20,000 people.
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“This 4,000 kilogrammes of rice is 200 bags of rice and it will still feed 20,000 people, so we’re still up there,” she said.
The event, which drew a large crowd of food lovers, celebrities, and dignitaries, has taken on the feel of a carnival with music, dancing, and appearances from public figures.
Baci described the feat as the most ambitious of her career, noting that it took almost a year of planning to pull off.
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“Honestly, Gino and I figured this whole thing out was hectic. Figuring out how to fabricate the pots, it took Mr Ayo two months to figure out and fabricate the pots. Then it took us about nine months to plan this event and it took us almost nine hours to make the entire meal,” she revealed.
Guinness World Record, the London-based record body, posted a message of encouragement on social media, wishing Baci “best of luck” in her attempt.
The recognition comes just two years after Guinness certified Baci’s 2023 cook-a-thon, which brought her global fame and inspired many young Nigerians to explore the culinary industry.