Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Baci has scaled down her Guinness World Record attempt for the largest serving of jollof rice, citing technical limits, but said the dish was still enough to feed 20,000 people.
Baci told reporters at the venue that she reduced her target from 250 bags of rice to 200 because the custom-made pot and rice combined would have exceeded the 20,000 kilogram maximum that the crane and measuring scale could handle.
“The goal was to hit about 17,000 to 18,000 kilogrammes, but with the pot included, it came to nearly 20,000,” Baci said. “It’s safer for me to go below 20,000 so the scale can carry it all at once. This 4,000 kilogrammes of rice is 200 bags, and it will still feed 20,000 people.”
The chef described the attempt as her most ambitious project yet, saying it took nearly a year of preparation. She worked with brand partner Gino and fabricator Ayo, who spent two months building the giant pot. The final meal took nine hours to complete.
“Honestly, figuring this out was hectic,” she said. “At first, it wasn’t even about breaking records. I just wanted to bring people together and feed as many as possible.”
The event drew large crowds, with many attendees arriving with coolers to take food home. Celebrities and dignitaries including Nollywood actress Funke Akindele, dancer Kaffy and Ogun State First Lady Bamidele Abiodun were present.
Government officials also praised the attempt, saying it showcased Nigeria’s culinary culture on a global stage.