Evette Quoibia, a Liberian-Australian chef and restaurant owner, has achieved a Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual. She completed an incredible 140-hour, 11-minute, and 11-second cooking marathon, surpassing Alan Fisher (Ireland)'s previous record of 119 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds.

Born during Liberia’s civil war, Evette and her family sought refuge in Ivory Coast and Ghana before settling in Australia. Despite her challenging upbringing, Evette harbored ambitious dreams. She stated, "I always dreamed of being great or doing something out of the ordinary... But due to the life I had, I feel like I didn’t have the opportunity to do things that permit me to be the person I wanted to be. Until I found out about the Guinness World Records longest cooking marathon."

Evette dedicated two months to preparing for the record attempt, which included securing a venue, organizing volunteers, and raising funds for ingredients. Her menu showcased Liberian cuisine, featuring dishes like jollof rice, cassava leaves, and hearty stews, while also incorporating Nigerian, Asian, and Australian-inspired flavors to cater to a diverse audience.

The cooking marathon began with enthusiasm, but the physical and mental demands quickly took their toll. Contestants are allowed only one 20-minute break every four hours, and Evette struggled with exhaustion. She admitted, "Unfortunately, it was a really difficult time for me... I just had to keep pushing myself mentally, because I was targeting something, and I had to remember that."

Evette drew strength from the support of her community, family, and church. Crowds cheered her on, and she personally served every dish, ensuring that visitors left with takeaway containers of food. "There were times when it was really stressful, and there were times when I really enjoyed it," she said. "For example, the times when there were a lot of people, and people were having fun and cheering me on – I gained my energy from that."

When Evette finally broke the record, she described the moment as surreal. "Honestly, I was not in the mental state to know where I was [time-wise]. I just kept going until someone from my church made an announcement and drew my attention to the time and said, ‘Evette, we are actually reaching the time of your record-breaking moment, and we need to celebrate… you have broken your record!’" she said. "And I was extremely excited and very happy."

While Evette acknowledges that her record may eventually be broken, she hopes her story will inspire others to pursue their dreams.