How we helped Hilda Baci break Guinness World Record — Chef
July 30, 2026 12:26 pm
Hilda Baci named a GWR Icon. Photo credit: GWR
Chef Gbolabo Adebakin, popularly known as Captain Gibbs, has revealed the extensive planning and behind-the-scenes efforts that went into helping a Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci, achieve her Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon.
Adebakin, who is the Convener of The Nigeria Food Summit, said the team behind the record attempt spent about one week preparing for the event, despite the cooking marathon itself lasting about four days.
He made the revelation in an interview with NairametricsTV titled “The Chef Who Wants to Standardise Nigeria’s Food Industry,” which was published last Wednesday and went viral this Thursday.
According to him, the preparation involved designing menus, sourcing ingredients, managing logistics, planning staff welfare and ensuring compliance with Guinness World Records rules.
“The first one, for example, a lot of us didn’t sleep. And I know, you know, on the Guinness World Record, it was, I think it was four days, because that’s like a hundred and something hours. It was one week for us, for the people behind the scenes.
“It was one week because we have to prep before the cooking starts,” Adebakin said.
He explained that the scale of preparation was enormous because the team had to plan for thousands of meals while ensuring that the food met the requirements of the record attempt.
“If you are doing like an event for maybe a hundred people, you can do your prep in a day. We’re doing an event for four days. Now imagine how much prep we need for that,” he added.
Adebakin said he initially planned to rest at a nearby hotel during the event but eventually stayed throughout the cooking marathon after realising the demands of the assignment.
“I thought that I was going to be able to sleep. So I got like a hotel close by. But the first day that I went to go and change, maybe just refresh and stuff. Secondly, I surrendered. I stayed there throughout the entire thing, and it was worth it. No regrets,” he said.
Speaking on the second Guinness World Record attempt, Adebakin described it as even more demanding, noting that the team had to operate large-scale preparation and distribution systems.
“For the second one, for example, that one was even crazier. We had like two big makis, one for the prep and another for the distribution of food,” he said.
Adebakin said the planning process started with designing a menu that aligned with Guinness World Records guidelines while reflecting Hilda’s desire to showcase Nigerian cuisine.
“We designed the menu. We knew she was very particular about a lot of things. Hilda doesn’t play. So one of the first things that she mentioned was that she wanted it to be Nigerian food,” he said.
He explained that the team had to determine the Nigerian meals that could fit within the strict time requirements of the competition, adding that every cooking process was carefully scheduled.
“We were saying, what kind of meals can you cook for two minutes, for five minutes, for 20 minutes, because you’re going to stop at 20 minutes mark,” he said.
According to him, the team developed detailed timetables, recipes and procurement plans while considering factors such as ingredient shelf life and storage limitations at the event location.
“After you put in a timetable, they’re now doing recipes for each. After you do recipes for each, you’re doing the prep for each, you’re doing procurement for each,” he explained.
He added that logistics extended beyond food preparation, as the team also planned staff schedules, welfare and safety measures.
“We’re also ensuring that no one is going to die on our watch. So we’re designing the timetable for the staff as well, the welfare for the staff as well,” Adebakin said.
He said vendors, farmers and market suppliers were also part of the process, ensuring that fresh ingredients were available whenever needed.
“Everybody was on point, right? They were standing by ready to supply us when we needed to supply the right products, the freshest of ingredients,” he said.
Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual in May 2023 after cooking for 93 hours and 11 minutes in Lagos, surpassing the previous record.
Her achievement attracted global attention and sparked renewed interest in Nigerian cuisine and the country’s food industry.
Fawzi is a journalist and subeditor covering a wide range of beats including politics, metro, and international news, among others. He also optimises stories for digital audiences.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]