Celebrity chef and restaurateur, Hilda Baci has been named a Guinness World Records Icon, becoming the first Nigerian to receive the global distinction.
Guinness World Records announced the recognition on Thursday, citing Baci’s impact on global record-breaking culture and her role in inspiring a wave of record attempts across Nigeria.
The GWR Icon title is reserved for individuals whose achievements go beyond setting records to create lasting international influence.
Baci is a triple Guinness World Records holder. She set the record for the longest individual cooking marathon in May 2023, cooking for 93 hours and 11 minutes in Lagos.
In September 2025, she partnered with Gino Nigeria to create the largest serving of rice in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The jollof dish weighed 8,780 kilograms and was distributed in more than 16,600 portions.
Reacting in a video shared by Guinness World Records, Baci became emotional as she looked back on her journey.
“I don’t know what to say… we started a movement. I did this. I don’t want to cry. It feels really good to know that things like this can happen to people like me,” she said.
Dedicating the honour to Nigeria, Baci said she never imagined the scale of impact her first attempt would have, nor that she would go on to hold three records and be named a GWR Icon.
“I had so much faith in what I was doing, I never saw how far it could go, I never saw how much impact it would make, I definitely did not think there would come a time I would not have one but three… and now being named a Guinness World Record Icon. I am so grateful to God. This is for Nigeria, this is for all of us”, she said.
Guinness World Records, via its website, described Baci’s 2023 cook-a-thon as a defining moment that drew thousands of physical supporters and global attention through livestreams.
Though the record has since been broken twice, the organisation said her achievement triggered a surge in interest.
Within two months of her attempt, it received more than 1,500 new applications from Nigeria.
“Her epic “cook-a-thon” ushered in a wave of enthusiasm for record-breaking in Nigeria: within two months, GWR had received upwards of 1,500 new applications from the country”, the organisation wrote.
Baci’s culinary journey began in her mother’s restaurant in Abuja while she was in primary school.
After studying sociology, she explored television and acting before becoming a professional chef in 2020 and launching My Food by Hilda.
On advice for aspiring record breakers, Baci stressed that preparation is everything, stressing that passion alone is insufficient.
She listed physical training, mental conditioning, proper documentation, a strong support team, and a clear understanding of Guinness guidelines as essential.
Baci added that consistency beats talent, systems beat hustle, and humility fosters growth.
“You need physical training, mental conditioning, a strong support team, proper documentation, and absolute clarity on the guidelines. Study the rules carefully and respect the process.” And crucially, “understand your ‘why’. When exhaustion hits – and it will – your reason has to be stronger than the discomfort”, she said.
Baci now plans to expand My Food by Hilda across Nigeria and internationally to the United Kingdom, the United States, Dubai, and South Africa, with the intention of also serving as a cultural ambassador for Nigerian cuisine.
She noted that any future record attempt would need to serve a broader purpose beyond endurance.
For her, the true value lies in giving others the courage to attempt something bold.
Records can be broken, she said, but the ripple effect of belief is what truly lasts.
“If my journey gave someone else the courage to attempt something bold, then that means more to me than the title itself,” she said. “Records can be broken — that’s their nature. But inspiration, the ripple effect of belief, is what truly lasts,” she added.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
