FACT-CHECK: Is Chef Dammy Set to Cook 300 Bags of Beans to Challenge Hilda Baci?

By: Ibraheem Muhammad Mustapha 

Introduction:

​Following the successful conclusion of Guinness World Record holder Hilda Baci’s recent Jollof rice challenge in Lagos on Friday, September 12th, social media has been buzzing with conversations about the feat. Capitalizing on this trend, numerous posts have gone viral across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, alleging that Ekiti-based chef Damilola Adeparusi, popularly known as Chef Dammy, is now set to break a new record by cooking 300 bags of beans.

The Claim:

​Multiple viral social media posts claim that Chef Dammy is set to break Hilda Baci’s record by cooking 300 bags of beans at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ekiti.

​Verdict: FALSE!

Full Text

The story begins with celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci. On Friday, September 12th, 2025, she successfully concluded a new culinary challenge at the EkoHotel and Suites in Lagos, where she cooked 200 bags of Jollofrice and shared the food with Nigerians. The event was a massive success and dominated social media conversations all weekend.

​In the midst of this buzz, stories began to go viral across social media that Chef Dammy was preparing for a new challenge of her own (see examples of the claim circulating here, here, and here). These posts, which gained significant engagement, revived the rivalry narrative between the two chefs from 2023.

​Chef Dammy rose to fame in June 2023 for her own 120-hour cook-a-thon attempt, which happened around the same time Hilda Baci’s record was awaiting official confirmation. This sparked a massive online debate, with some criticising her and others praising her ambition. The current claim leverages that past rivalry to make it seem believable in the wake of Hilda’s latest achievement.

​Verification:

​The claim that Chef Dammy is organizing a massive beans cook-a-thon is baseless and directly contradicts her recent activities and public statements. There have been no official announcements from Chef Dammy or her team to substantiate this claim. Legitimate record attempts of this scale require significant planning and publicity, none of which exist for this rumored event. The rumor is simply timed to piggyback on the publicity surrounding Hilda Baci’s concluded event to create a false rivalry for social media clicks.

Contrary to the rumor, Chef Dammy is not in Ekiti preparing for a cook-a-thon. She officially began her professional culinary training in February 2025 at the Hospitality Business School in Lagos, where she is pursuing a diploma on a full scholarship. Her verified current activity is focused on her education, not on another public spectacle. 

Furthermore, in a recent interview snippet, Chef Dammy spoke about the immense pressure and cyberbullying she faced after her 2023 cook-a-thon went viral unexpectedly. She described the experience as emotionally draining and overwhelming, stating, “If you had asked me this question… a year ago, I might be crying. But now I’m happy I can talk about this without crying.” This personal testimony makes it highly unlikely that she would voluntarily re-enter a similar high-pressure situation.

​Conclusion:

​The claim that Chef Dammy is set to cook 300 bags of beans in Ekiti is false. She is currently enrolled in a professional culinary school in Lagos and has no intention of attempting another cook-a-thon. The viral post is a fabrication and should be taken for what it is.