Guinness World Record (GWR) holder for the longest marathon cooking time by an individual, Nigerian chef Hilda Effiong Bassey, popularly known as Hilda Baci, has hailed the ‘uncommon platform’ created by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) ‘for people to express their cooking talent, and promote indigenous cuisine under one roof.’
In her goodwill message, Hilda Baci who was a special guest at the Award/Gala Night of the 2023 NIHOTOUR Gastronomy Festival, last June, at the International Conference Centre, in Abuja, said the event created by the Director General of NIHOTOUR, Nura Kangiwa is an auspicious one to boost the promotion of Nigerian cuisine.
Hilda, the Akwa Ibom celebrity chef, had on May 15, this year, set a time of 93 hour and 11 minutes to beat an earlier time of 87 hours, 45 minutes, and 00 seconds, set by Indian chef, Lata Tondon in 2019.
Through her feat, Nigeria now hold the GWR for the longest marathon cooking time by an individual in the world.
Hilda thanked NIHOTOUR for creating a space for food hospitality, as she enthused that it will go a long way in taking Nigeria ‘to the desired destination’ in tourism.
“With the trend of things in the world and with organisations like NIHOTOUR, which ensures that things are done properly and giving people the platform to express themselves with food hospitality, this goes a long way in taking us to the desired destination.
“However, in my own little way or big way, I will keep on putting on the effort to put Nigeria cuisines on the world map to drive more positive attention to Nigeria and let people know what we do, what we are all about and what we are capable of doing.
“Nigeria’s cuisines are good and everybody deserves to even get a taste of it. Thank you for having me and I won’t take this opportunity given to me by NIHOTOUR for granted,” Hilda remarked.
