GWR: Hilda Baci: Jollof Pot Collapse Turned Out A Blessing In Disguise, Made Food Sharing Easier

PulseNets has learnt that celebrated Nigerian chef and restaurateur Hilda Baci opened up about a tense moment that nearly derailed her Guinness World Record for the largest pot of jollof rice. The dramatic incident happened at the World Jollof Festival in Lagos when her giant custom-built pot unexpectedly collapsed mid-process.

Speaking in a video interview obtained by PulseNets on Tuesday, Hilda Baci told PulseNets how the mishap initially shook her confidence. “When the pot gave way, for the first few seconds my heart almost stopped. I was honestly frightened and deeply anxious,” she revealed.

She emphasised that her immediate concern was feeding the massive crowd rather than chasing the title. “At that point, the record itself wasn’t my top priority. What mattered most was that people could still taste and enjoy the food we had invested hours of effort into,” Baci explained.

In a surprising twist, she admitted the failure worked to her advantage. “Looking back, the pot collapsing actually made distributing the jollof much easier. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise,” she added.

PulseNets reported that on September 12, Hilda and her dedicated team prepared nearly 8,780 kilograms (about 19,356 pounds) of jollof rice using a six-metre-wide pot engineered to hold 23,000 litres. As the crane began hoisting the massive container for an official weighing, one side gave way and its support legs buckled. Remarkably, the rice remained intact.

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Her team swiftly documented the scene, ensuring credibility. Photographs and video evidence were submitted to Guinness World Records, which later certified Hilda Baci as the official record holder for the largest pot of jollof rice cooked in a single attempt. Baci learnt from the experience and recalled how quickly her crew adapted to keep the process valid and properly recorded.