Hilda Baci, however, added that the incident turned out to be “a blessing in disguise.”
By Kehinde Okeowo
Nigerian chef and restaurateur, Hilda Effiong Bassey popularly known as Hilda Baci has admitted that she became agitated when her giant custom-made pot unexpectedly collapsed during her Guinness World Record feat.
She made this known on Tuesday while speaking in a now viral video interview shared on X.
A dramatic scene unfolded on September 12 at the World Jollof Festival in Lagos, where Hilda and her team cooked nearly 8,780 kilograms (about 19,356 pounds) of jollof rice in a six-metre-wide pot designed to hold 23,000 litres.
As the crane hoisted the pot for weighing, one side gave way and the support legs collapsed, though the food remained intact.
Her team submitted photographic and video evidence of the weighing to Guinness World Records, which later certified her as the official holder of the largest pot of jollof rice cooked at one time.
Recounting the experience, Hilda disclosed that the incident shook her confidence.
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She also recalled how swiftly she and her team responded to ensure the process remained credible and properly documented.
She said, “When we had the mishap with the pot, my first few seconds, my heart was in my hands. I was very scared, very worried.”
The celebrity chef went on to say at that point, her priority was feeding people, not breaking the record.
She, however, added that the incident later turned out to be “a blessing in disguise.”
“For me, the record was not the most important thing. It was important that people got to taste and enjoy the food we had spent hours making.
“I would say it was a good thing that the pot caved because it made food distribution a lot easier… it was a blessing in disguise, ” Hilda added..
