We are building people, creating access to show excellence can be taught and rewarded – Hilda Baci

By : Maria Diamond

Date: 3 January 2026 3:20am WAT

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Hilda Baci. Photo: Instagram @hildabaci

Hilda Baci. Photo: Instagram @hildabaci

Designed as a community-driven experience where a new generation of food entrepreneurs, chefs, and culinary creatives across Nigeria and beyond, learn, unlearn and relearn, the Hilda Baci Academy, founded by Hilda Baci recently honoured the people powering the culinary ecosystem.    The event which stood as a statement of Hilda Baci’s long-term vision, one rooted in community, collaboration, and sustainable impact within Africa’s culinary industry, highlighted the scale of the academy’s reach, uniting graduates from different cohorts in one shared space and closing the year 2025 with reflections on growth, discipline, and excellence values that have become synonymous with the Hilda Baci brand.    The celebration brought together past and present students both physically and virtually alongside the MyFoodByHilda team, marking a major moment in the academy’s journey and reinforcing the founder’s growing influence as a culinary educator and industry thought leader.    According to the two-time record-breaking chef Hilda Baci who has continued to redefine Nigeria’s culinary landscape, not only through personal milestones but by building structures that empowering others, “this isn’t just about cooking or records, it is about building people, creating access, and showing that excellence can be taught, supported, and rewarded. Every student and every staff member here is part of a larger story, and I’m proud of what we’re building together.”    The event received a strong show of support from global brands who rewarded outstanding commitment and performance across the academy community. Students and staff received gifts ranging from household appliances and professional kitchen equipment to year-long product supplies.

The highlight of the evening came during the recognition of the MyFoodByHilda team, when an exceptional and longest staff member was rewarded with a brand-new car for outstanding dedication and service. The spotlight later shifted to the Hilda Baci Academy, the overall best student of the academy was celebrated with the presentation of a brand-new car and while an excellent student received a fully equipped food truck, a life-changing reward designed to support their next chapter as a food entrepreneur. The moment captured the academy’s commitment to not just training talent, but equipping students with real tools for sustainable success.

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