Photo File: Food Influencer and Chef, Hilda Baci

Nigerian celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci, has announced plans to cook what is expected to become the world’s biggest pot of jollof rice, using an astonishing 250 bags of rice.

Hilda, who rose to international fame in 2023 after breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon, shared details of the massive culinary project in a video posted on Instagram on Monday. The revelation has since generated excitement and curiosity across social media.

According to her, the specially designed pot for the challenge has a capacity of 22,619 litres. Her goal is to fill it up to at least 75–80 per cent of its volume. “My goal is to fill this pot up by at least 75 to 80 per cent. That means I will need about 5,278 kilogrammes of raw basmati rice to achieve the yield,” she explained.

The chef revealed that this calculation translates to 264 bags of rice, but after reviewing logistics, she decided to scale it down slightly. “I am making the executive decision to do 250 bags,” she stated.

Baci further highlighted the staggering amount of condiments required to pull off the record-breaking feat. She explained that cooking the rice would require approximately 1,583 kilogrammes of tomato paste. “For one kg of rice, you would need between 0.20 to 0.35, but because it’s Nigerian jollof, I’m going to use 0.30. That means I will need 1,583 kilogrammes of Gino tomato paste,” she said.

In addition, she disclosed that the tomato base would be distributed evenly among tomato paste, pepper chicken paste, and jollof paste to achieve what she described as the “most delicious, largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice you have ever tasted.”

The project not only aims to set a new Guinness World Record but also celebrates Nigerian cuisine and culture on a global stage, reinforcing jollof rice as one of West Africa’s most iconic dishes.