Prominent Ghanaian chef, Ebenezer Smith, widely known as Millennium Chef Smith, has been arrested and is currently held at La Police Station on charges of fabricating a Guinness World Record for marathon cooking.
Smith had claimed to have cooked continuously for 820 hours and 25 minutes, from February 1 to March 6, 2024, presenting a certificate as evidence of his achievement. However, Guinness World Records confirmed to the BBC that the certificate was a forgery and that Smith does not hold the title.
The actual record is held by Alan Fisher from Ireland, who cooked for 119 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds in Matsue, Shimane, Japan, from September 28 to October 3, 2023.
Smith’s detention followed an investigation triggered by a sponsor who had donated about 350,000 cedis to support the cooking marathon, only to uncover the fraud.
Smith had conducted a press conference at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, where he falsely claimed to be the new record holder, and had also publicized his alleged achievement on social media.
The incident has ignited widespread controversy, prompting many to question the authenticity of Smith’s claims.
