How jollof pot collapse secured my Guinness World Record – Hilda Baci

Nigerian chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci, has revealed how a near-disastrous moment during her record-breaking cooking feat turned into an unexpected blessing.

Speaking in a video interview shared on X, Hilda recalled the dramatic incident at the World Jollof Festival in Lagos on September 12, when the giant custom-made pot used for her Guinness World Record attempt suddenly collapsed.

During the festival, Hilda and her team cooked nearly 8,780 kilograms (about 19,356 pounds) of jollof rice in a six-metre-wide pot designed to hold 23,000 litres. But just as the crane hoisted the pot for weighing, one side gave way and the support legs crumbled.

“My heart was in my hands. I was very scared, very worried,” she admitted.

Despite the setback, Hilda said her priority was ensuring that people could enjoy the food, not just chasing the record. Surprisingly, she explained that the collapse made food distribution easier.

“For me, the record was not the most important thing. It was important that people got to taste and enjoy the food we had spent hours making. I would say it was a good thing that the pot caved because it made food distribution a lot easier… it was a blessing in disguise,” she said.

Her team quickly documented the process with photos and videos, which were later submitted to Guinness World Records. The evidence was accepted, and Hilda was officially certified as the holder of the largest pot of jollof rice cooked at one time.