In a giant pot that could feed thousands, Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Bassey, known as "Hilda Baci," stirred up culinary history once again on Friday, September 12, attempting to cook the world's largest pot of jollof rice.

The ambitious undertaking involved a custom-made pot measuring six meters wide and six meters tall, with a capacity of over 22,000 litres.

The record-breaking attempt took nine months to plan, with the fabrication of the massive pot alone requiring months of preparation.

"We always say Nigeria, we are the giant of Africa, and jollof rice is a discourse that has been happening within so many African countries," Bassey explained. "So I figured, as the giant of Africa, it only makes sense that we are the ones that pioneer making the largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice."

The free event dubbed the Gino World Jollof Festival drew crowds of enthusiastic spectators who gathered to witness what could become the world's largest serving of West Africa's most beloved dish.

The chef moved methodically around the pot, adding ingredients with the precision of someone who knows the world is watching.

Vegetable oil, tomato paste, and carefully measured spices disappeared into the bubbling mixture as assistants helped stir the massive creation.

Bassey first gained international recognition in 2023 when she broke the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon, completing a 100-hour cooking session. That achievement made her a household name across Nigeria and beyond.

Now, as flames dance beneath the giant pot and condensed steam escapes when the lid is lifted, she's hoping to cement her place in culinary history once more.

"My goal for Nigerian cuisine is that we are just as mainstream as Chinese cuisine," she says, standing near the bubbling pot that could make that dream a reality, one grain of rice at a time.

The Guinness World Records wished her "best of luck" on X as she embarked on this latest challenge, with evidence of the cooking to be sent for official review before any record can be confirmed.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

LAGOS NIGERIA (SEPTEMBER 12, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF KITCHEN ASSISTANTS STIRRING GIANT POT OF JOLLOF RICE (MUTE)

2. KITCHEN ASSISTANTS STIRRING JOLLOF POT

3. HILDA BASSEY LOOKING ON

4. JOLLOF RICE BEING STIRRED

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIAN CHEF, HILDA BASSEY, SAYING:

“We always say Nigeria, we are the giants of Africa, and jollof rice is a discourse that has been happening, you know, within so many African countries, and sometimes if you go to random countries, you’d find someone and say you’re Nigerian, the first thing they ask you is about jollof rice, right? So I figured, as the giants of Africa, it only makes sense that we are the ones that pioneer making the largest pot of Nigerian Jollof rice.”

6. SIGN ON POT READING: “GINO WORLD JOLLOF FESTIVAL WITH HILDA BACI''

7. VARIOUS OF CHEF BASSEY POURING VEGETABLE OIL INTO THE POT

8. CHEF BASSEY PUTTING TOMATO PASTE INTO THE POT

9. CHEF BASSEY PUTTING SPICES INTO THE POT

10. VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF JOLLOF RICE BASE BEING STIRRED (MUTE)

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIAN CHEF, HILDA BASSEY, SAYING:

“It’s a great personal achievement to do something like this, but ultimately, it's also just bringing people together because I say, this is beyond me, this is beyond Nigeria, this is global, this isn't African right? We are trying to connect people through food, and I feel like Nigerian food is such a great export. I believe that over time in years to come, my goal for Nigerian cuisine is that we are just as mainstream as the Chinese cuisine.”

12. CHEF BASSEY DANCING

13. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ATTENDING THE EVENT

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER, ARIYIKE OGUNMOLA, SAYING:

“She's such a strong woman, and I really admire her courage, her determination, and she’s like a perfectionist, she keeps checking the rice like oh it has to be good, it’s not enough, I don't know... I find that very very motivating, being very good at what you do. Even though it is the world's largest rice, she doesn’t want it to just be one random that is just cooked anyhow.”

15. POT OF RICE BEING OPENED / CONDENSED STEAM EVAPORATING

16. FLAME FROM GAS BURNER

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) STUDENT, BRIAN ARCHIBONG, SAYING:

"I enjoyed the event, we did not even think it was going to be possible, this is like the first time I've come to an event that is as big as this."

18. VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS

19. KITCHEN ASSISTANTS DANCING BESIDE THE POT