Social media users have criticised Ghanaian Chef Smith, who aimed to set a new world record for the longest cooking marathon, over his fraudulent assertions about the attempt.

Several people voiced their profound disappointment with Chef Smith for his malicious scheme to mislead the public. Others also condemned the Chef for engaging in a deceptive act that has resulted in international embarrassment for the nation.

The media was not spared as the public faulted journalists for disseminating the story without confirming or doing due diligence to ensure Chef Smith indeed won the title.

Background

A recent report by GhOne TV revealed that Ghana's Chef Smith is not the current record holder for the world's longest cooking marathon.

According to GhOne TV, the information was confirmed by Guinness World Records (GWR) in an email.

The media house stated that the certificate Chef Smith showcased was not genuine but a counterfeit designed to mislead the public for acknowledgement.

The statement followed a query from Edem Kojo, who emailed the GWR team to confirm Chef Smith's status as the new cook-a-thon record holder.

"No, this is not true at all. He [Chef Smith] does not hold the GWR title, and that is not our certificate. The longest cooking marathon (individual) is 119 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds and was achieved by Alan Fisher (Ireland) in Matsue, Shimane, Japan, from September 28 to October 3, 2023," the email read, as reported by GhOne TV on their X page.

This revelation comes after Chef Smith's press conference at La Palm Beach Hotel on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, where he formally celebrated his supposed significant feat. A banner at the entrance to the conference room announced: "Press Conference. Revealing the New World Cook-a-Thon Record Holder. Millennium Chef Smith from Ghana with an astounding 802 hours, 25 minutes, surpassing Irish King, Alan Fisher."

Subsequent reports showed Chef Smith with a plaque that included a certificate from GWR, designating him as the new record holder.

Read the reactions below:

Chief Smith scammed the whole Ghana 🇬🇭

— BARON REIGNS (@dfw_baron) July 3, 2024

Very shameful act. Nigerians really go over cook us

— Akosuah Nyamekye 🦋 (@_IamAsantewaah) July 3, 2024

It’s the media that failed us, they reported the news, and we believed it.

Ghana Media should start apologizing to Ghanaians this morning for aiding Chef Smith to lie the entire country😭

Ghanaian Media houses now have to take fact-checking and verification very serious.

— Bigtrice (@Evershed_YPT) July 3, 2024

So why do people find delight in things like this. You ain't a record holder and u went to print ur own certificate, for what exactly, knowing very well they will catch you, why

— Dhela Extra (@dhela_extra) July 3, 2024

So was uncle thinking he could print his own certificate and present, and not get caught? I’m baffled

— Yaw (@Psampene) July 3, 2024