A Ghanaian chef, Ebenezer Smith, who recently claimed to have broken the world record for the longest non-stop cooking by an individual, has been arrested following a dispute with his sponsor.
Smith announced on Tuesday that he had cooked continuously for 802 hours and 25 minutes, a feat exceeding more than a month. During a press conference, he presented a certificate, allegedly from Guinness World Records (GWR), confirming his record-breaking achievement.
However, the authenticity of Smith’s claim was quickly challenged. On Wednesday, a GWR spokesperson told BBC Pidgin that the certificate was “not true” and clarified that it was “not our certificate.” While responding to a Ghanaian media outlet, GWR further stated that they were not aware of Smith’s attempt and had not received any application from him.
Smith’s arrest followed shortly after his announcement, stemming from a dispute with his sponsor, Amadia Shopping Centre in Spintex, Accra, where his cooking marathon was held in March. The sponsor accused Smith of breaching their contractual agreement by not informing them about the alleged confirmation of the award.
The case has caused significant shock and disappointment among Ghanaians, who had widely supported Smith’s supposed record-breaking attempt. Social media has been abuzz with reactions to the controversy. Despite being in police custody, Smith has not yet been charged and has not commented on the accusations.
Smith’s previous record attempt in March garnered support from several local celebrities and highlighted a growing trend among Ghanaians to break Guinness World Records. Notable attempts include media personality and entrepreneur Afua Asantewaa Aduonum’s longest singing marathon last year and chef Failatu Abdul Razak’s longest cooking marathon in Tamale earlier this year.
According to GWR, the current record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual is held by Ireland’s Alan Fisher, who cooked for 119 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds from September 28 to October 3 last year. Fisher dethroned Nigerian chef Hilda Bacci, whose record of 93 hours and 11 minutes had previously made headlines.
Melissa Enoch
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