In an exciting announcement made on Friday afternoon, Chef Dammy expressed her determination to surpass the record set by her fellow Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci. Hilda Baci had previously held the cook-a-thon record for an impressive 100 hours. However, Chef Dammy has set her sights even higher, aiming to cook for 120 hours, equivalent to 5 days, at Fuoye-Jupeb Road in Oye Ekiti.
Despite being relatively unknown until recently, Chef Dammy generated buzz when pictures of the upcoming cook-a-thon were shared on her official Twitter account, accompanied by the caption, “We are Coming for the Guinness World Record!”
The cook-a-thon, a culinary event with the goal of establishing a new Guinness World Record, was planned for 120 hours, concluding on Tuesday, June 13. Since her announcement, Chef Dammy has already spent over 20 hours cooking. With her enthusiasm and unwavering determination, some people eagerly anticipate her success, while others doubt her ability to break the world record.
Controversy surrounds Chef Dammy’s ambition to surpass Hilda Baci’s record, drawing mixed reactions from netizens and the public. Supporters praise and applaud her audacity, while critics argue that it is inappropriate to attempt breaking a record that Hilda has not yet officially been recognized for. They accuse Chef Dammy of being jealous by challenging Hilda’s achievement so soon after it took place.
Questions arise regarding Chef Dammy’s eligibility to break Hilda’s record, given that once a record is officially recognized by Guinness World Records, it cannot be challenged for at least a year. It was recently reported that Hilda Baci claimed to have submitted all the necessary evidence to Guinness World Records and eagerly awaited their acknowledgment. However, some contend that since Hilda’s accomplishment has only been acknowledged but not officially recognized, Chef Dammy’s cook-a-thon is essentially an attempt to break the previous record set by Indian chef Lata Tandon, who cooked for 87 hours and 45 minutes in Rewa, India, in September 2019.
Moreover, skeptics cast doubt on the likelihood of Chef Dammy’s cook-a-thon being acknowledged by Guinness World Records. Concerns are raised regarding the alleged poor hygiene in her kitchen, with specific incidents cited as potential credibility underminers. For example, during the early hours of her cook-a-thon, it was observed that she turned off her cooking gas while separating beans from their pods. Additionally, her live video abruptly ended a few minutes past midnight on June 10, the second day of her cook-a-thon. These instances are contrasted with Hilda Baci’s record-breaking attempt, implying that such mishaps did not occur during her cook-a-thon.
Furthermore, critics question the cleanliness and hygiene of Chef Dammy’s kitchen, which they believe are prerequisites for being recognized as a professional chef and for the cook-a-thon to be acknowledged by Guinness World Records. An image circulated online, particularly on Twitter, showed scattered corns and vegetable leaves on the kitchen floor, prompting some to criticize her for not properly containing them.
Despite facing initial negative reactions, there are those who remain hopeful, supportive, and optimistic about Chef Dammy’s endeavor, wishing for her to achieve her goal and break the record. They emphasize that it would be a victory for Nigeria, regardless of the individual who accomplishes it.
