7 RECIPES FROM HILDA BACI’S 100-HR GUINNESS WORLD COOKING RECORD-FOR EVERY CONTENT CREATOR

Hilda Baci, a Nigerian chef who set a new world record of a 100-hr cook-a-thon

100 what???

Yes, 100 hours! When some of us struggle to even fry egg and ‘dodo’ (Yoruba word for fried plantain) for 5 minutes, Nigerian chef, Hilda Effiong Bassey (Hilda Baci) has become an overnight (well, over-4-nights actually) international sensation and celebrity for cooking 100 hours non-stop to break the Guinness World record of Lata Tandon of India who set an 87-hour cooking record.
Literally everyone is excited for Hilda. And she deserves all the celebration.
But just like every story and moment where history has been made, there’s no accidental success, what we call ‘overnight success is usually a product of strategic, deliberate, behind-the-scene planning and efforts that have sometimes been met with untold frustrations and challenges. So whether you are an aspiring vlogger, a discouraged YouTube Content Creator or a budding photographer who wants to have a record-breaking career, it’s time for us to pull back the curtain, enter the ‘kitchen of life’ and learn7 RECIPES that contributed to Hilda’s success.

Attention to Details: Content creators can learn from Hilda’s meticulous attention to detail. Every aspect of her cooking, from ingredient selection to plating, camera positioning to interior décor etc. was carefully thought out and executed flawlessly. Hilda Baci didn’t set a record only because she knows how to cook for 100 hours, but because she knows how to pay attention to aesthetics, project management, media etc. This level of detail enhances the overall quality of your content.

Creativity and Audacity: Hilda Baci’s 100-hour cooking record demonstrates the timeless insight in the famous words of Marianne Williamson, “…our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?”
It must have crossed Hilda’s mind, ‘Who are you to break an 87-hour record?’
She must have whispered back to that voice of fear; ‘Who am I not to?’
As a content creator/filmmaker/broadcaster etc., it’s time to thunder that same question to yourself; Who am I not to create a content/movie/show that’d win global awards?

Hilda Baci and her mother during the Cook-a-thon.

Authenticity: Hilda Baci stayed true to her culinary style and personality throughout her record-breaking cooking journey. She demonstrated innovative cooking techniques and unique flavour combinations, which captivated the audience. Content creators should embrace their unique voice and perspective, as it helps to differentiate their content and build a loyal audience.

Resilience and Perseverance: Do you remember those emotional moments when Hilda Baci experienced intense fatigue, cramps and other unbearable pain? Many would have thrown in the towel at that moment. But not Hilda. Cook Hilda is fighter Hilda. And you should be too. You’ll face biting discouragement several times, you’d spend so much time, energy and money to create content only to have 22 likes and 9 views.

Don’t shut down your YouTube page. Don’t say ‘perhaps content/media is not my calling’. Fight. Stay. Do it the Hilda way and watch your dreams soar to life very soon.

Engaging Storytelling: Hilda Baci’s achievement was not just about the cooking process but also about the story she told throughout the record attempt. Do not say to yourself, “I am not good at telling stories”. Storytelling simply means telling the truth about your why, when, where, who, how, etc. Every single person on earth, every brand, and every content creator definitely has a story to tell. Content creators can learn to incorporate compelling narratives into their content to captivate their audience and create a more engaging experience. Here’s a piece that’d get you started on becoming a master at visual storytelling; https://holoceneinnovations.com/2023/02/27/the-four-principles-of-visual-storytelling-part-2/

Collaboration and Community: At some point, you could have wondered, “Who is cooking? Hilda Baci or the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria?”

Lolz, that was because everybody was there to support Hilda (remotely or in-person). Nollywood A-list Actors and Actresses. Nigerian Musicians. The Governor of Lagos State. Even on countless WhatsApp statuses- everywhere was Hilda.
As a content creator/creative/filmmaker/media personnel, would you think this was entirely coincidental? No. Hilda collaborated with a team of experts and received support from her community during her record-breaking cooking journey. Content creators can benefit from fostering relationships with like-minded individuals, collaborating with others, and building a supportive community to enhance their content and expand their reach.

Supporters and fans rooting for Hilda Baci. Picture Credit: https://businessday.ng/paywall-free/article/hilda-baci-cook-a-thon-behind-the-scenes-other-moments-in-pictures/

Continuous Learning: It’s one thing to have 100 hours to cook, it’s another thing to have something to cook for 100 hours. Hilda’s success was a result of her continuous learning and improvement. As stakeholders of the media space, we must keep learning and developing new production skills, imagination, content creation techniques and more. If we are to set a target to create content every single day for 100 days, would we always have something engaging to share? This is why it pays to keep learning; a consistently enlightened mind never runs out of ideas.

So there we have it; we may not be blessed with the culinary skills of cooking Noodles not to talk of Jollof Rice, but while cooks produce food for the belly, creators produce content for the human mind. With THESE 7 RECIPES, you are on to becoming better each day and even if you don’t break or set a new Guinness World Record, every moment of your corporate and creative existence will set a new record of churning out awesomeness into our world through content.