Ghanaian chef Ebenezer Smith has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual, cooking continuously for an astounding 802 hours and 25 minutes, or 33 days. Smith announced his achievement at a press conference held at the La Palm Hotel in Accra on July 2, 2024.
Smith’s marathon began on February 1, 2024, and concluded on March 6, 2024. Initially, Smith aimed to cook for 1,200 hours, but his accomplishment remains impressive even though he did not reach this target. At the press conference, he proudly presented the plaque he received from Guinness World Records, validating his effort.
Before Smith, the record was held by Alan Fisher of Ireland, who cooked for 119 hours, and Hilda Baci of Nigeria, who cooked for 93 hours. Smith’s 802-hour cooking marathon has far surpassed these previous records.
However, the celebratory event took an unexpected turn when Smith was arrested during the press conference. According to Smith’s manager, Benny, the arrest was instigated by musician Nana Boro, who claimed that Smith owed him money. “A few minutes into the program, some people approached us. One identified himself as Nana Boro, the musician, and two others.
They claimed they were part of the old team that supported Chef Smith during the cook-a-thon and that Smith owed them. They said they wouldn’t allow the press conference to continue until he settled the debt,” Benny explained during an interview with Hitz FM.
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Despite attempts to address the issue after the press conference, security personnel arrested Smith, leading to widespread speculation on social media about the legitimacy of his world record claim.
Benny defended Smith’s accomplishment, stating that Guinness World Records had confirmed the achievement via email. He insisted that the record was authentic and that the plaque presented by Smith was genuine.