SOCIAL media is buzzing with images of the celectrity cook, Ms Hilda Baci, at work in the kitchen, as many crowned her as the queen of Nigeria’s jollof rice after cooking world’s biggest pot.
Baci became popular two years ago and etched her name in the historic Guinness World Record for marathon cooking, but she seems close to breaking another record yet after cooking 200 bags of rice at Eko Hotel and Suites on Friday in Lagos, serving a crowd of over 20,000 supporters.
Supported by actress Funke Akindele, the 28-year-old chef had described the attempt as ‘history in the making.’
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“Yes, I can officially confirm this pot is squeaky clean,” she wrote on Instagram before the cooking. “I rolled up my sleeves and washed it myself,” she further said, adding that the pot was custom-fabricated in South-West Nigeria, lasting nearly three months.
Source: Channels TV
As Nigerians who at the venue of the event enjoy the delicacy, netizens are hailing Baci as a true representative of Nigeria and her state, Akwa Ibom.
“I just left the venue, and to be very honest, that’s the best jollof rice I have ever eaten in my life. Omo, Holda Baci sabo cook,” @Dr_Pharouk, a dentist, posted on his X.
Another X user, @BanjiComr, wrote: “Hilda Baci is proof that a woman can have big bumbum, fine face, correct shape and still have better sense. She is honestly one of the smartest ladies in Nigeria. She doesn’t just follow trends, she creates them. She was the one who kicked off the Guinness World Record wave in.”
Credit: X
Damilola Isaac, with an X handle, @_Dr_Bush_, criticised those who say that the number of people at the Hilda Baci jollof rice event is a demonstration that Nigerians are hungry.
“Everybody just hides behind their keypads and twists words to suit their own narrative, or just to be controversial. So you really think most of the people who went for Hilda Baci’s event were hungry or jobless? Come on! See people with expensive phones, cars, etc. People naturally love to engage in activities that bring temporary joy, excitement, or relief, at least, before returning to reality. And the truth is, we can’t all have the same interests.”
Yet another X user, @Chichi_Uchendu, wrote: “She did it! Hilda Baci has done it again. A million congratulations to her! Hilda is no longer just the cookathon queen, she’s now the larger-thon legend Record breaker. She doesn’t just chase records; she shatters them. She doesn’t just show up; she stays top of mind. Hilda understands the secret every brand should learn.”
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An X user, @olawalesmd, a medical doctor, wrote: “I love how Hilda Baci has really innovated her craft as a Chef. It takes a lot of critical thinking and planning, calculating and measuring your ingredients, to cook one tasty pot of Jollof Rice, not to mention the largest pot of Jollof Rice in the world. This is no small feat.”
Baci explains prepaparation
The jollof recipe pot included 4,000kg (8,800lb) of rice, 500 cartons of tomato paste and 600kg of onions. They were all poured into a custom-made pot that can hold 23,000 litres.
In an interview after the feat, Baci said it took her 1 year to get ready for the jollof rice event. “We are the giant of Africa, and jollof is a food that everybody knows Africans for,” she told BBC. “It would make sense if we had the biggest pot of jollof rice, it would be nice for the country.”
In a separate interview, Baci said: “It’s safer for me to go below 20,000 kilograms so that my scale can carry it all at the same time. Basically, that is why I have to cut down on the quantity, and I only cut it down by 1,000 kilograms.”
