Ghanaian chef Ebenezer Smith, known as Chef Smith, has been arrested for fabricating claims of holding a Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual. Smith falsely announced at a press conference and on social media that he had achieved a record of 820 hours and 25 minutes of continuous cooking, purportedly from February 1, 2024, to March 6, 2024.
Alina Polianskaya, Public Relations Executive for Guinness World Records, refuted Smith’s claims in an interview with the BBC, clarifying that he does not hold the record and that the certificate he presented was not authentic.
“The current and true record for the longest cooking marathon (individual) is 119 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds, achieved by Alan Fisher (Ireland) in Matsue, Shimane, Japan, from September 28 to October 3, 2023,” Polianskaya confirmed.
Alan Fisher’s record surpassed that of Nigerian chef Hilda Baci, making him the legitimate record holder for the longest cooking marathon. Chef Smith’s fraudulent claims have not only led to his arrest but have also highlighted the importance of verifying records with the official Guinness World Records organization.
