My cook-a-thon helped in the fight against drug abuse - Chef Faila

Ghanaian Chef, Faila Abdul Razak has shared the transformative impact of her Guinness World Record attempt for the longest cooking marathon.

In a recent interview with Berla Mundi on TV3, Chef Faila said that the cook-a-thon, which took place in the Northern region, was more than just a culinary challenge.

According to her, the Northern Region had been fighting the menace of drug abuse and her cook-a-thon played in significant role in the fight.

“Before the cook-a-thon, we were fighting against drug abuse in the Northern region. It was that severe during that period. And we've been trying to take the youth out of it but during the Cook-a-thon, these same drug addicts were there 24 hours. They were eating from me. They were forced to stop smoking for several hours and days because it wasn't permitted on the premises,” she said.

Chef Faila further stated that even if she had died during the cook-a-thon, it would have been worth it.

“And anyone that asked me such a question, I told them it would have been worth it. My people would have celebrated me forever for a good cause.

“Haven't our peers died out of terminating illegal pregnancies? Haven't our colleagues died out of Kayayo? Haven't our colleagues died out of peer pressure to do so many illegal things?” she said.

Chef Faila began her cook-a-thon on January 1, 2024, and cooked for a total of 227 hours, but her attempt was unsuccessful, as the Guinness World Records found that she violated the rest break.

She, however, received a lot of praise and accolades for her attempts including representing Ghana at the International Horticultural Expo in Doha, Qatar.

Following an invitation from the Ghana Tourism Authority, Chef Faila collaborated with a resident caterer at the Expo to showcase Ghana's rich culinary diversity through traditional dishes.

During the event, she served an array of Ghanaian delicacies, including jollof rice, fried yam, and Kelewele, complemented by authentic Ghanaian beverages like millet drink, cocoa drink, and Sobolo.

ID/ ADG

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