Accra, Ghana — A Ghanaian chef has been cooking banku and other local dishes on live TV since New Year’s Day in a bid to break the world record for marathon cooking. The initiative is being cheered and widely celebrated in the West African country.
As of Friday afternoon, Failatu Abdul Razak had been cooking for more than 110 hours at a hotel in the northern city of Tamale, aiming to break the Guinness World Record set by an Irish chef for 119 hours and 57 minutes. Alan Fisher.
Isaac Sackey, president of the Ghana Chefs Association, said Abdul Razak “put Ghana on the map, so we need to make efforts to honor her.”
West Africa has been in the midst of a frenzy of world record attempts in several categories since Nigerian chef Hilda Bati set the world cooking record with a 100-hour performance last May, before being dethroned by Fisher. is caught up in
The Guinness World Records Organization has yet to comment officially on Abdul Razak’s attempt, but it could reach 120 hours by early Saturday morning. It probably won’t be until much later that the organization confirms this feat.
Celebrities, government leaders and hundreds of ordinary people gathered at the Modern City Hotel in Tamale, the setting for the chef’s cooking. Onlookers dance, sing and enjoy the food prepared as the countdown to 120 hours takes place.
Ghana’s Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia spoke about the initiative via Facebook earlier this week and donated 30,000 Ghanaian cedis ($2,564) to the chef.
“Go for the money,” he advised her.
Abdul-Razzaq opened by saying her endeavor was a “national mission” on behalf of Ghana and its people. Some of her dishes include Ghanaian banku (fermented cornmeal balls in soup) and spicy jollof rice enjoyed throughout West Africa.
“If I fail in this, believe me, I will have disgraced the President, the Ghanaian people, the people who supported me and raised me, my family and friends,” she said. said.
According to the guidelines, she can only take a break of 5 minutes every hour, or 1 hour cumulatively after 12 hours.
Concerns have been raised about the potential mental strain this endeavor could place on chefs. Last month, Ghanaian Afua Asantewaa Owusu Aduonum was forced to abort her attempt to break her singing time world record after her medical team said her body showed signs of mental stress. I no longer get it.
Annabella Osei-Tutu, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Ghana, said “excitement” is what drives record-seekers during their attempts.
“There has been a lot of hype, so at the moment they are running on adrenaline. After this episode, they will probably start to feel the strain on their bodies,” said Osei Tutu. .