Eshi Anani, the Nigerian culinary expert better known as Chef Anani, has announced an ambitious bid to shatter the Guinness World Records (GWR) for the longest grilling marathon.
The attempt, scheduled for March 5-8, 2026, at the Lagos Fresh Food Hub in Idi-Oro, Mushin, will be a 60-hour culinary feat intentionally aligned with International Women’s Day celebrations.
At a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, Anani confirmed that her application had been formally accepted by GWR less than a month after submission.
The current record of 40 hours, 49 minutes, and 17 seconds is held by Panther City BBQ, set in July 2022.
“I have been in the culinary space for almost eight years now. It has been an interesting journey. I was not always a chef,” she said.
“I went to school. I read computer engineering. But I left all that. And I decided to choose the kitchen. On my journey, I realised I actually like cooking a lot. I think that is my favourite method of cooking.
“So we are attempting 60 hours straight. But I am hoping to make it to 72 hours. The current record is 40 hours.”
To achieve this, Chef Anani will lead a team of three, including chefs Favour ‘Wakachef’ Ogbonna and Osahon ‘TheFitChef’ Joy.
They will work simultaneously in a carefully structured rotation, grilling for 22 hours followed by a mandatory 2-hour rest period in each 24-hour cycle.
Official timekeepers and fitness monitors will document the entire process to ensure compliance with strict GWR regulations.
“The whole process, we are going to have what we call fitness events and timekeepers. So, they will work in shifts,” she said.
“These people are going to record what we are doing, when and all of that. Some of the rules include showing our process.
“Every 24 hours, we have two hours of rest. We want to go straight for 22 hours and rest for two hours at a time.”
Beyond the culinary challenge, Anani framed the attempt as a statement on gender equality, particularly within the culinary industry.
“The date was strategically chosen to show the strength and resilience of women,” she explained.
“In my experience, women are under-segregated and under-celebrated in this field. People often associate certain energy and endurance only with men. I am doing this to show the world that female chefs are remarkably strong and resilient.”
