There has been an outpour of celebration on social media after Nigerian chef Hilda Effiong Bassey was confirmed by the Guinness World Records (GWR) as the new record holder for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.
Baci began her record attempt on May 11 and cooked for four straight days. She stopped cooking when her timer hit 100 hours.
However in a congratulatory video statement on Tuesday, GWR said there was a miscalculation and Hilda will be awarded for breaking the record at 93 hours and 11 minutes.
Baci officially went past the time mark set by Lata Tondon, an Indian chef who achieved the feat in 2019, after cooking for 87 hours and 45 minutes.
‘’This is a challenging record with strict rules that must be followed through,’’ GWR official adjudicator Mark said in the statement.
The miscalculation
GWR noted that anyone attempting a marathon record receives a 5-minute break for every hour they complete.
This is to allow suitable rest breaks for the participants due to the prolonged nature of these records.
‘’In this case, there was a miscalculation when it came to Hilda’s rest breaks. We are unable to reward the 100 hours claimed,’’ said the record bookkeeper in the statement.
Baci, a popular restaurateur in Nigeria's commercial hub Lagos, began the competition at the Amore Gardens in Lekki, Lagos State.
Her fans, including celebrities, cheered her on during the marathon. The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also made a surprise appearance.
The Guinness Book of Records is a reference book that contains human and natural world records.
It was first published in 1955 by the Guinness Brewery in Ireland and has since become one of the world’s best-known and most frequently read reference books.
Individuals or groups must submit proof to the Guinness World Records team and go through a verification process to qualify for a world record listing.
