Nigerian Chef Attempts To Make World's Largest Pot Of Jollof Rice

Food records have a way of grabbing attention. From the world's biggest pizzas to marathon cooking sessions, food challenges are no longer just about taste - they are about scale, stamina and spectacle. And in Nigeria, one dish always finds itself in the spotlight: jollof rice. Recently, Nigerian chef Hilda Baci decided to take the love for jollof to a whole new level. At just 28, she put together an ambitious plan that wasn't just about cooking, but about making a statement.

Baci told BBC that it took her a year to figure out how she was going to pull off the challenge. She explained her reasoning with a simple thought: "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."

To make that vision real, the project called for more than just ingredients. A custom-built steel vessel was needed to hold the enormous batch. The pot was not an easy job - it took 300 people and two months to build. Once it was ready, the cooking began.

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Baci worked with a team of assistants who came armed with giant wooden spatulas, stirring the rice, tomatoes and spices in a pot that looked more like an industrial project than a kitchen effort. The end result wasn't just a record attempt - it was a dish that fed hundreds of onlookers who gathered to watch history simmer in real time.

For Nigerians, jollof rice is more than just food. It is a cultural touchstone, a dish that shows up at weddings, birthdays and family gatherings. Rice cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce, often with chicken, beef, or fish, has a way of bringing people together. And for Baci, this challenge was about showing just how central the dish is to the country's identity.

Also Read: Nigerian Chef Cooks For 100 Hours Non-Stop, Aims At Guinness World Record

This is not Baci's first time making headlines with food. She won a competition for her jollof rice back in 2021, proving she knew her way around the dish. Then in 2023, she became a national sensation when she claimed the world cooking marathon record - an exhausting 93 hours and 11 minutes.