Ghanaian Chef Ebenezer Smith, popularly known as Chef Smith, publicly expressed remorse over presenting a counterfeit Guinness World Record (GWR) certificate claiming a record-breaking cooking marathon.
During a press conference held in Accra on Tuesday, Chef Smith asserted that he had the Guinness World Record for the longest individual cooking marathon, stating an extraordinary duration of 802 hours and 25 minutes. However, subsequent verification by GWR confirmed that the certificate he presented was not legitimate.
In an official statement, GWR clarified, “The current and true current record holder is: The longest cooking marathon (individual) is 119 hr 57 min 16 sec and was achieved by Alan Fisher (Ireland) in Matsue, Shimane, Japan, from 28 September to 3 October 2023.”
Speaking with Serwaa Amihere on GHOne TV, Chef Smith, visibly emotional and tearful, apologized to Ghanaians and the global community for the deception.
“I render a huge apology on this big platform, and I apologize to the world for being so sorry. I don’t deserve to live. But my quest to earn a living has landed me this way. I am sorry and beg the entire nation,” Chef Smith expressed.
The incident has sparked public discussion on integrity and authenticity in achievements, prompting Chef Smith to pledge corrective actions and re-establish trust within the community.
