Kumba Sinah Embarks on 163 Guinness World Records Cookathon
Salamatu Y. Kamara Chef Kumba Sinah, popularly known as Kumzee of “My Food by Kumzee,” is currently attempting to cook continuously for 163 hours to set a new Guinness World Records title for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.
The official attempt kicked off at 4:00 PM on Wednesday, November 5th 2026, at Kabbana, Lumley Beach Road, Freetown, and is scheduled to end at 4:00 PM on Tuesday, November 11, 2026.
Kumzee hit her first major milestone in the early hours of Friday, November 7, when her team announced she had completed a full day of non-stop cooking.
By later that same morning, live coverage from the venue showed she had pushed on to 34 hours completed of the 163-hour attempt, still working at a portable gas burner in her red chef’s jacket, black apron and hairnet, stirring pots and tasting dishes in front of a large crowd.
Supporters have flooded the venue as a way to motivate the chef to achieve her goal, and there is also live coverage on social media.
The cookathon is not just about endurance. It is a showcase of Sierra Leonean cuisine.
Throughout the attempt, food prepared at Kabbana is being served to the crowd. The venue has advertised free entrance and free food, turning the record attempt into a community festival on Lumley Beach Road, with crowds gathering from afternoon through late into the night.
In a video shared in July, she showed an email from Guinness World Records confirming her application had been accepted. The email, addressed to Kumba Sinah, stated that her application for the Longest cooking marathon (individual) had been accepted.
In September, she posted an emotional message describing a year of hard work, frustration and heartbreak due to lack of support and funding despite Guinness acceptance, and questioning if God was watching. Her persistence paid off, and she finally got the green light to go ahead in November.
The longest cooking marathon has become one of the most contested records in West Africa since Nigerian chef Hilda Baci’s 93-hour, 11-minute attempt in May 2023 captured global attention.
That record was later broken by Irish chef Alan Fisher, who cooked for 119 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds in Japan in September-October 2023.
Liberian-Australian chef Evette Quoibia then raised the bar to 140 hours, 11 minutes and 11 seconds, a mark Kumzee is now aiming to surpass with her 163-hour target.
If Kumzee completes 163 hours under Guinness rules — which allow only short, regulated rest breaks- she will set a new world benchmark and become the first Sierra Leonean to hold the title.
From influencers and bloggers to ordinary Freetown residents, the mood at Kabbana has been described as celebratory, patriotic and communal.
The attempt continues at Kabbana, Lumley Beach Road.