Hilda Baci, the celebrity chef, has announced that the pot used to set the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the largest jollof rice will not be sold or auctioned, but preserved as a symbol of history and national achievement.
The decision was revealed following her successful second GWR attempt on September 12 at Lagos’s Eko Hotels and Suites.
The event was a major spectacle, drawing support from a host of celebrities, dignitaries, and royals, including Spyro, Funke Akindele, Enioluwa, dancer Kaffy, Ogun state’s first lady Bamidele Abiodun, and reality star Alex Unusual.
Baci described the record-breaking feat as the result of “nine hours of fire, passion and teamwork,” which required 1,200 kg of gas to prepare a staggering 16,600 plates of rice.
Addressing numerous inquiries about the fate of the custom-built pot in a recent gathering in Lagos, the 30-year-old entrepreneur firmly stated that it is not for sale.
The celebrity chef explained that the pot transcends its utilitarian purpose, representing something far greater.
She emphasised the significance of preserving the artifact for future generations.
“So many people have asked about that pot. So if you want to buy it, they said we should auction it. But I think that pot is a symbol of a lot of beautiful things. It is a symbol of history. It is a symbol of faith. It is a symbol of innovation,” she said.
“Trust me, the process of putting that pot together, it is a symbol of many things and I think we agree that this is something that we want 10 years from now, 20 years from now, for people to still be able to see and point to and say that was the biggest pot of jollof rice in Nigeria.
“And in the world, not just Nigeria because it is been established that it is the first time. Right now, I can tell you we are definitely not going to auction it. We are not going to sell it.”
Reflecting on her motivation for the attempt, Baci shared her long-standing connection to cooking, which began at the age of eight. However, she revealed that jollof rice was not initially her forte.
“You people will say that I am coming again. But I remember when I started cooking, I started cooking quite young, I think I was maybe eight or nine,” she said.
“Jollof Rice was something that I never really used to make. It was not necessarily the biggest recipe in my house. And as time went on, I think from going to school, going to university, I realised that jollof rice was a big thing.
“And for some strange reason, it did not come so easy to me. I would try and I would just feel like something is missing. There is just something that is not just there.
“For the Jollof Rice recipe, a lot of people probably wonder why did you combine our three innovations.
“I am very unconventional when it comes to recipes, especially because I am very big on our local recipes and our local flavours and I feel like that is why Gino and I match so nicely.
“But yeah, so it was, you know, I had been able to now figure out from trials and errors what my major issues were with making Jollof Rice and I had now established an amazing Jollof Rice that led me on to winning, you know, the Jollof face-off between Nigeria and, you know, another country.
“So when the idea to make the largest pot of Jollof rice came, honestly, I figured that this recipe has been a best seller in my restaurant, this recipe has probably bought me quite a number of nice things and I think Nigerians need to get a feel of it and the beautiful thing is now.”
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