Maliha Mohammed in 2019

There’s an exhilarating feeling that comes with knowing that you are the first person in the entire world to achieve a certain feat, no matter how ‘small’ or peculiar the thing is. In the past, two Kenyans have made it to the Guinness World Records. In 1992, Joseph Love milked 30 cows by hand in one hour; and in 2004, Kimani Maruge, at the age of 84, became the oldest man to enroll in a primary school. 2019 was yet another year to do something exceptional, and for Kenyan chef Maliha Mohammed, she decided to try her hand at setting a new world record by cooking for the longest time ever.

Imagine the Mombasa humidity. Then imagine standing (or cooking) in a vibrant kitchen somewhere in Mombasa. Not many would endure the double dose of heat. Maliha Mohammed is a Mombasa-based chef whose skill has grown through access to digital platforms. YouTube videos, in particular, have encouraged her to learn new recipes online. Something about watching other people cook, seeing the simplicity of it and imitating the process – while enjoying doing so – in her own kitchen advanced Maliha to chef status.

It was one thing to love to cook and to cook for friends and family, but Maliha craved something bigger. In April 2018, eager to show what she was made of, Maliha set up a Guinness World Records account and applied to set a new record for an existing title. The excitement of it all crept in, and while she was thrilled to take part in a life-changing event, there were a few financial setbacks that prevented her from participating. Undeterred, in December, Maliha applied once again to participate in breaking a world cooking record. She received a second confirmation and with financial aid from Pwani Oil Company, she was able to pay the mandatory participation fee.

The confirmation arrived in February 2019 Maliha received the confirmation. She took to her kitchen, devouring cooking books and re-watching YouTube culinary videos. She was mentally customizing a diverse menu consisting of several dishes from different cuisines.
Reading and watching were only sufficient to some extent; Maliha had to practice. In June, she organized for a pre-trial, and in 36 hours, she had created 100 different meals. The following month she tried again, looking to improve her time and her meal count. She completed 200 delicious meals in 56 hours. This improvement not only boosted her confidence for her upcoming event but reminded her of her journey towards each moment in 2019.

On 15th August at Kenya Bay Beach Resort in Mombasa, Maliha Mohammed began the defining moment of her career: breaking the Guinness World Record for cooking non-stop. Her time to beat? The 68-hour record set by Chef Ricky Lumpkin II in 2018.

The determination, excitement, and recollection of steps to create elaborate meals held Maliha in the kitchen for 75 hours where she created 400 meals from Kenyan and International cuisines. For every 12 hours, Maliha took a half-hour break to gather her thoughts and her energy. On Sunday 18th August 2019, Maliha became the first African chef to cook for 3 days and 3 hours, making her the Guinness World Record holder for this year. Surrounded by cameras and smiling faces, Maliha’s excitement and emotions could not be contained. She has since then continued to urge fellow Kenyans to go after the things they are passionate about by taking the time to acquire the skill and remain steadfast despite the various setbacks that may come along the way.

Maliha’s Paukwa spirit shines bright and we see it beyond this year. For that, we applaud and congratulate her on this memorable achievement. Hongera Chef Maliha.

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