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It's been a year since Hilda Baci broke the Guinness world record for the longest cookathon.

A lookback at how Hilda Baci broke Guinness's cookathon world record 1 year ago | Pulse Nigeria

Temi Iwalaiye

On Thursday, May 12, 2023, Hilda began her Guinness world record cookathon and she had no idea how wild it would spread.

There are many things I remember about the Hilda Baci cookathon. The first was <a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/a-nigerian-chef-will-attempt-to-break-guinness-world-record-for-the-longest-cooking/ljgz1h3" title="How Hilda Baci's Guinness World Record Cookathon unknowingly started a revolution">the press conference</a>, where she announced her record-breaking attempt. It sounded so meticulously planned. She had taken years to prepare for this moment, she had a solid team, she had done a mock cookathon and she seemed ready. I was very excited and told all my friends, but I found it hard to pass on the enthusiasm.

When the day of the cookathon arrived, the venue, Amore Gardens, Lekki was a little empty. The people there were her family, friends, and journalists. I remember how easy it was to get food and drinks compared to the last hours of her cookathon, where you could barely find a place to stand and talk less about food.

<a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/hilda-baci-guinness-world-records-menu/r9kfryv" title="How Hilda Baci's Guinness World Record Cookathon unknowingly started a revolution">By the second day,</a> Hilda became popular on social media, her friends were sharing clips, the media had taken an interest, and she trended online.

Large crowd show up in Lagos to cheer Hilda Baci to Guinness World Record

On the third day, Hilda had become a viral sensation. <a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/sanwo-olu-shows-up-at-hilda-bacis-guinness-world-record-cooking-event/s4yqtqz" title="A look back at how Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Record 1 year ago">Dignitaries like the Governor of Lagos State, </a>Babajide Sanwo-Olu went to see her, pastors like Bolaji Idowu went to pray for her, and celebrities like Tiwa Savage showed support. You could barely enter the venue. There was a large crowd outside, and they had to wait for people to leave before they were allowed in.

Sanwo-Olu shows up at Hilda Baci's Guinness World Record cooking event. [Twitter:@jidesanwoolu]

<a href="https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/hilda-baci-breaks-current-guinness-world-record-for-cooking/h4q633v" title="A look back at how Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Record 1 year ago">Hilda hit her 96-hour mark,</a> but she decided to extend it further. When she did, everyone was in awe of her resilience and steel, and her sous chef was commended for standing by her side.

Hilda Baci has surpassed the current World Record

Hilda cooked for a total of <a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/hilda-baci-cooks-for-over-100-hours-for-guinness-world-record/n88ze8f" title="How Hilda Baci's Guinness World Record Cookathon unknowingly started a revolution">100 hours</a> <a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/guinness-world-records-hilda-baci-new-cooking-marathon-record-holder/d7tc6sy" title="How Hilda Baci's Guinness World Record Cookathon unknowingly started a revolution">(though GWR eventually pegged it at 93 hours)</a>, and every news outlet in the world picked it up. Everyone in the entire world was talking about Hilda. She was the pride of Nigeria and the world. <a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/web-traffic-for-hildas-cook-a-thon-crashed-guinness-records-site-for-2-days/zd1rvcy" title="How Hilda Baci's Guinness World Record Cookathon unknowingly started a revolution">Hilda crashed the Guinness World records' website.</a>

One thing that has come from <a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/7-chefs-whove-attempted-or-broken-the-guinness-world-record-longest-cookathon-record/s3whdyt" title="A look back at how Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Record 1 year ago">Hilda breaking the world record is how she revived people’s interest in breaking world records</a>—both Cookathons and other Guinness world records attempts. We had all forgotten about the Guinness World Record until Hilda came along. She made people dare to dream.

Even though Hilda’s record was broken in the same year by <a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/hilda-bacis-cookathon-record-broken-by-irish-chef-alan-fisher/tf05v9n" title="A look back at how Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Record 1 year ago">Alan Fisher</a>, she is definitely a revolutionary woman.

Her life has changed forever with numerous endorsements, partnerships, awards, a massively successful culinary school, and her restaurant is constantly packed.

A lookback at how Hilda Baci broke Guinness's cookathon world record 1 year ago

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