Maureen Ikpeama
Hilda Baci , Nigeria’s renowned foodpreneur an actress and TV presenter and founder of “My Food by Hilda“, a premium restaurant and delivery service for African and continental dishes is few hours close to breaking Guinness World Record for longest cooking by an individual.
In an attempt to clinch this record, the 27-year-old graduate on Thursday set up a four-day ‘cook-a-thon’ at Amore Gardens, Lekki, Lagos State
Picture showing Hilda cooking
Hilda Baci has so far cooked over 110 meals and served over 2,795 people in over 73 hours and counting, with about 15hours left for her to break the Guinness World Record.
Despite her obvious exhaustion from being on her feet for three days and counting, Hilda Baci’s commitment to excellence is evident as she is not compromising on the meal standard and has maintained excellence which her brand is synonymous with.
Baci’s attempt to break the Guinness World Record has been nothing but awe-inspiring to Nigerians and women around the world as this attempt has had an influx of Nigerians at the venue of the cook-a-thon to see her break this record and thousands more, following live events closely via social media.
Notable celebrities have also actively supported Baci’s attempt by being present at the venue of the cook-a-thon and showering Baci with words of encouragement and affirmation.
Nigerian singer and Hilda’s close friend, Dremo, remains a constant source of support to Baci as he has been present since the start of the event on Thursday. Media personalities, Noble Igwe, Enioluwa; beauty enthusiasts hush.ng, Beauty by AD CEO, Adeola; media personality and Hilda’s friend, Ama Reginald; medical doctor, and fashion enthusiasts, Akin Faminu; and Big Brother Titans ex-housemates, Thabang Mazibuko and Tsatsii Madiba, were also present showing their support and admiration for Baci’s attempt.
Popular food bloggers also came out to support Hilda; Gina Ojo, Ify Mojekwu, and Diary of a Kitchen Lover.
The #HildaBaciCookathon is supported by My Food by Hilda; Hilda’s restaurant, located at 6, Emmanuel Abimbola Cole; headline sponsor, GB Foods, owners of Gino tomatoes paste, Gino max cubes, Jumbo and Bama.
Hilda Baci cooks over 110 meals in 64 hours [Hilda Baci’s Cook-a-thon]
Other supporting sponsors are Arla, Woodscope, Baigewallet, Filmhouse, Uber, Monty Suites, and the Culinary Arts Practitioners Association of Nigeria.
Brands continue to reach out in numbers to show support for Hilda Baci as well as motivate the crowd to ensure everyone has something to eat and drink at no cost. Some of which are Coldstone, Cway, Hans, and Rene.
With Monday just around the corner, more encouraging words pour in and Hilda Baci’s resilience and determination to see this through is evident. “Bet on Hilda” continues to trend on social media and with hopes high and Baci’s strong resolve, the #HildaBaciCookathon is not only inspiring but positively impacting lives.
Some of the highlights from day 3 of Hilda’s cook-a-thon was the yoga class in the morning, facilitated by Tobe Ifeanyi, and a speech from Hilda’s mum at 47 hours when Hilda needed motivation. Hilda’s mom is the owner of Calabar Pot, one of the top restaurants in Abuja.
Over the night, 58 hours into the cook-a-thon a group of traditional Efik dancers came to support Hilda dressed in traditional dancing gear. Enioluwa hyped and prayed with the crowd in the middle of the night.
Pastor Bolaji Idowu of Haversters was also there to support Hida Baci He prayed for her and encouraged her .
Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also showed his support for chef Hilda Baci
Sanwo-Olu showed up at the venue to meet with Baci. He made this known on his Twitter page on Sunday.
The Governor wrote, “I showed up to support Chef Hilda Baci, in her quest to break the Guinness World Record
@GWR for the longest time spent cooking by an individual. Her dedication, passion for cooking as well as her desire to put our rich culture on the map by not only exhibiting our food but also the resilience, determination, energy and team spirit that has come to be known as the spirit of Lagos and indeed Nigeria is truly remarkable.We are proud to have Hilda embarking on this journey in our state. I will continue to follow the updates and look forward to the final declaration.
Well wishers across Africa showed their support for Hilda. With few hours to breaking the World record, it’s our prayer that Hilda makes it.