Pot Collapses as Nigerian Chef Attempts to Cook Largest Jollof Rice Dish

Pot Collapses as Nigerian Chef Attempts to Cook- Nigerian chef and former Guinness World Record holder Hilda Baci made headlines when the giant pot she used to attempt making the world’s largest jollof rice dish broke. The incident occurred as the enormous pot was being hoisted by a crane to be weighed. Despite the setback, thousands of people gathered in Lagos to witness this ambitious world record attempt.

A Giant Cooking Challenge(Pot Collapses)

Hilda Baci, 28, is a well-known food influencer and chef who previously held the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon in 2023. Her latest challenge was to create the world’s largest dish of jollof rice, a popular West African meal made by simmering rice in a rich tomato sauce, often served with meat or seafood.

Her recipe for the record-breaking attempt was massive: it included 4,000kg (8,800lb) of rice, 500 cartons of tomato paste, and 600kg of onions. All the ingredients were mixed in a custom-made steel pot designed to hold 23,000 litres of food.

The cooking process took nine hours, and the event quickly became a trending topic on social media. Hundreds of spectators came to Lagos to watch the cooking, and many cheered Baci and her team as they worked hard throughout the day.

The Moment the Pot Broke

The highlight of the event was supposed to be weighing the enormous pot of jollof rice for official Guinness World Record recognition. However, when the time came to lift the pot using a crane, disaster struck. Videos shared online showed that as the giant red pot was lifted, one of its supporting legs buckled. The structure gave way, causing the pot to tilt, but miraculously, none of the rice spilled.

After the collapse, a member of Baci’s team explained to that they were gathering evidence from multiple camera angles. This footage would be sent to Guinness World Records so the attempt could still be officially considered, despite the weighing challenge.

Before the lifting incident, Guinness World Records had publicly wished Baci good luck in a tweet, showing their support for the effort.

Sharing the Jollof Rice with the Crowd

Even though the record attempt faced a setback, the giant dish was not wasted. The enormous amount of jollof rice included 168kg of goat meat, adding extra flavor to the massive dish. After the cooking was complete, the food was carefully divided into individual portions and shared among the huge crowd that had gathered for the event.

Hilda Baci expressed her pride in the achievement despite the mishap. , “We [Nigerians] are the giant of Africa, and jollof is a food that everybody knows Africans for. It would make sense if we had the biggest pot of jollof rice; it would be nice for the country.”

Baci was assisted by a team of 10 chefs dressed in red uniforms. Each chef wielded long wooden spoons to stir the enormous quantity of rice, ensuring it cooked evenly.

The Making of the Giant Pot

Manufacturing the massive steel vessel was no small task. It took a dedicated team of 300 people two months to build the custom pot, designed to hold the huge volume of ingredients safely. Unfortunately, one of its legs gave way at the critical moment, preventing the weighing of the dish.

Despite this, Baci and her team remained positive, focusing on the achievement of cooking such an enormous jollof rice dish in itself.

Jollof Rice: A West African Staple

Jollof rice is a beloved staple in many West African countries, often seen as a point of pride. It is made by cooking rice in a rich tomato and pepper sauce, frequently paired with meat or seafood. Competitions around the best jollof rice recipes are common across the region, especially between countries like Nigeria and Ghana.

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Hilda Baci first gained fame in 2021 when she won a competition for her version of jollof rice. She became a national sensation two years later when she broke the world cooking marathon record by cooking continuously for 93 hours and 11 minutes—a grueling feat. Though her record was later surpassed by Irish chef Alan Fisher and currently held by Evette Quoibia from Australia (140 hours and 11 minutes), Baci continues to inspire many aspiring chefs.

Although the giant jollof rice attempt did not conclude as planned, the event still highlighted Baci’s dedication and Nigeria’s rich culinary culture. Her determination to showcase Nigerian cuisine on the global stage remains strong, and the evidence collected will be submitted to Guinness World Records for possible recognition.

As the event trended across social media, many celebrated the effort and passion behind the attempt. The world now waits to see if Guinness World Records will officially recognize the giant jollof rice effort.