Evette Quoibia, a Liberian-Australian chef, has officially broken the Guinness World Record for the longest solo cooking marathon, clocking in at an astounding 140 hours, 11 minutes, and 11 seconds.
Now a restaurant owner in Melbourne, Evette’s love for cooking began at just eight years old. While other children played with toys, she found joy in the kitchen, helping prepare meals and experimenting with pots and cups — a childhood passion that has now led to a world record.
Evette’s record-breaking feat surpassed the previous mark held by Ireland’s Alan Fisher. She dedicated over two months to preparing for the challenge, assembling a support team that included an event planner, volunteers, and members of her church. Funding came through GoFundMe, helping her purchase ingredients such as semolina flour, cassava, pounded yam, rice, and tomatoes — staples of Liberian cuisine. Throughout the marathon, she cooked a wide range of dishes like jollof rice, cassava leaves, and okra soup, while blending influences from Nigeria, Asia, and Australia to appeal to diverse palates.
Born during Liberia’s civil war, Evette and her family moved through several countries before settling in Australia. She always dreamed of achieving something remarkable and saw the Guinness World Record as her opportunity. “This was something within my skills,” she said, crediting her restaurant background for preparing her for the challenge.
The attempt was grueling.
With only 20-minute breaks allowed every four hours — and minimal time to rest due to the distance between her rest area and cooking station — fatigue quickly took its toll. Evette admitted to feeling mentally drained and slow by the later days, but the unwavering support of her team and the crowd kept her going.
