Guinness World Records has officially recognised Nigerian chef Hilda Baci for cooking the largest serving of jollof rice ever made, cementing her name once again in culinary history.
The massive pot, prepared in Lagos last Friday, weighed an astonishing 8,780 kilograms (19,356 pounds, 9 ounces) of Nigerian-style jollof rice.
Guinness confirmed the milestone on X, while Baci shared her excitement with fans: “We have done it again.”
This is not her first brush with the record books. In 2023, Baci captured global headlines after completing a 93-hour, 11-minute cooking marathon, though the mark was later broken by Irish chef Alan Fisher.
For her latest feat, which she called an early birthday gift ahead of turning 30 this weekend, Baci cooked in a pot six metres wide, using about five tonnes of basmati rice, 600 kilos of onions, and 750 kilos of oil simmered in tomato sauce.
Over 8,000 cheering spectators watched the hours-long process unfold.
Jollof rice is one of West Africa’s most beloved dishes, made from rice simmered in tomato sauce and often served with meat or fish. Its roots trace back to the 14th-century Wolof empire, spanning present-day Senegal, Mauritania, and Gambia, where a similar dish known as thiebou dieune was widely prepared.
Over centuries, jollof spread across the region, evolving into national staples.
Today, it fuels a spirited rivalry — particularly between Nigeria and Ghana, both claiming to have the best version. Yet in 2021, it was the Senegalese variant that earned a coveted spot on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.