Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci has opened up on her past struggles in life, stating she was once homeless.
Recall Baci cooked for 100 hours to surpass the previous Guinness World record set by an Indian chef, Lata Tondon, in 2019.
In a recent interview with TVC, the 26-year-old restaurateur noted how people think she just dropped from the sky to record the feat she pulled off.
The chef stated there was an entire phase that got her to where she was, adding that she would carry on to be an inspiration to others.
“A lot of people see this buzz now, and most of them think I dropped from the sky. They don’t know I was homeless at some point. There’s an entire phase and journey that got me here, and I’m not even done.
“This is still part of a journey. I’m still on a path, and I’m still going. It’s not always going to be rosy. It’s not always going to be easy. But we need more examples like this so people can say, ‘Hilda did it, so I can do it as well.”
Growing up for Hilda was delightful as she opened up opportunities to use her talent and efficiently express herself through various platforms that have gradually put her in the spotlight. Her story reveals that one can always get steps closer to achieving their dreams with utter purpose. At an early age, she was self-aware of her capabilities and the resolve to make an impact. More importantly, there was the instinct for her to embark on an entrepreneurial journey, although she was unsure where to start.
Armed with the vision to run a restaurant and food delivery, Hilda spends time on set as an actress or presenter. She starred in a couple of movies playing the supporting lead role in Dreamchaser, nominated for best film in the Multichoice factory for the Africa Magic Viewers’Choice Awards (AMVCA).
She also featured in prominent movies and soap operas, including Sideways, Flatmates, A Walk on the Water, and Mr. & Mrs. Robert. In 2020, sharing the stage with Tobi Bakare, former Big Brother Naija housemate, Hilda co-hosted Y’ello star, a music reality project by MTN to discover, nurture, expose, and launch music talents in young Nigerians.
Consistency is one of the factors that has kept Hilda going. Hilda nurtured her sojourn in cooking and built the insight to be a Foodpreneur by being a TV favorite on cook shows. From the ‘In my Kitchen’ segment on Rave TV’s flagship breakfast show, Morning Rave, to being the host of ‘Dine on A Budget’ on Pop Central TV, she showcased various recipes to the audience’s delight.
Her cooking talent was further showcased in 2021 when she emerged winner of the Jollof Faceoff Competition challenge in Ghana, going home with a $5,000 winning prize.