Kenyan chef Maliha Mohammed is set to enter the Guinness Book of World Records (GWR) for achieving the longest culinary marathon, having completed a whopping 150 hours and 11 seconds, according to her social media.
"The lion, the conqueror, the champion is here! 150 hours and the record is home. Thanks to all that came through, especially Kenyans that made it to witness this prolific moment in time," she wrote on her Facebook page.
This impressive feat, yet to be affirmed by the GWR, has dethroned the previous record-holder, Irish chef Alan Fisher, who had updated the record in early November after cooking for 120 hours at his restaurant in Japan.
Prior to Fisher, the record was held by Nigerian chef Hilda Baci, whose marathon took approximately 93 hours.
In this extraordinary culinary undertaking, Malihi Mohammed dedicated her skills to preparing a range of Swahili dishes such as biriyani wa kuku, biriyani wa nyama, bhajia, and chicken masala, alongside some foreign delicacies, at least 250 recipes. All of this took place in Nairobi, as reported by the media.
Malihi Mohammed kicked off her culinary race on Wednesday, November 15 and continued on till November 21.
The Kenyan's triumphant breakthrough had some tough twists and turns along the way. Media reports claimed that the chef had lost consciousness on Monday morning, creating panic among the crowd. However, astonishingly, the chef was back on her feet just 10 minutes later, marching on with the menu marathon.
"I am a conqueror and marathon runner. Nothing is bringing us down; to the finish line, we go!" she told media.
During the endeavor, the chef was reportedly aided by a team of 45 staff members. Onlookers had the chance to sample the food she prepared, while any leftovers were sent to various Nairobi orphanages.
It is worth noting that Maliha has previously made her mark in the Guinness Book of World Records with a comparable feat. In 2019, she energetically manned the stove for an impressive 75 consecutive hours. This exceptional accomplishment surpassed a record set just 16 months prior by Rickey Lumpkin, a chef from Los Angeles, who cooked for a duration of 68 hours, 30 minutes, and 1 second.