The highly anticipated conclusion of Chef Smith’s cook-a-thon has taken an unexpected turn, sparking a public controversy that has captured the attention of Ghanaians nationwide.

The event, which spanned from February 1 to March 6, 2024, saw Chef Smith attempting to break the world record for the longest cooking marathon, with full backing from Amadia Shopping Mall.

A statement released by Amadia Shopping Mall, providing updates on Chef Smith’s cook-a-thon record attempt and related matters, reveals that Amadia Shopping Mall, owned by Mrs. Nana Ama Duodu (known as Amadia) and managed by her brother Nana Boroo, entered into a three-year binding contract with Chef Smith. The agreement aimed to showcase Chef Smith’s culinary talents and inspire food enthusiasts globally.

The cook-a-thon, an 802-hour marathon, was organized and fully funded by Amadia Shopping Mall. To celebrate the conclusion of this remarkable feat, the mall hosted a musical concert on March 6, 2024, which also served as a gesture of gratitude to the public for their support.

However, the months following the event have been marred by a lack of communication from Chef Smith’s team regarding the status of the video uploads and the response from Guinness World Records (GWR). This silence culminated in a flyer announcing a press conference by Chef Smith at La Palm Royal Beach on July 3, 2024, to disclose the outcome of his GWR attempt. This move, executed without notifying Amadia Shopping Mall, the primary sponsor, was a direct violation of their contract, which grants the sponsor the right of first refusal for any related activities or projects post-attempt.

Efforts by Amadia Shopping Mall’s management to seek clarification from Chef Smith’s team were ignored. Consequently, Nana Boroo led a team to La Palm Royal Beach to verify the authenticity of Chef Smith’s GWR certificate, a crucial aspect given the mall’s corporate brand association with Chef Smith. Upon arrival, they were denied entry to the press conference, prompting the mall’s management to call the police to halt proceedings until the authenticity of the certificate could be confirmed.

Below is the full statement from Amadia Shopping Mall.

UPDATE ON CHEF SMITH’S COOK-A-THON RECORD ATTEMPT AND RELETED M AT T E R S

1. Chef Smith began his cook-a-thon on February 1, 2024, and concluded it on March 6, 2024.
2. The event was fully sponsored by Amadia Shopping Centre, owned by Mrs. Nana Ama Duodu (aka Amadia), and managed by her brother Nana Boroo.
.3 A three-year binding contract was signed by both parties to support Chef Smith’s record-breaking attempt, showcasing his culinary talents and inspiring
food enthusiasts globally.
4. The month-long cook-a-thon was organized and funded entirely by the owner of Amadia Shopping Centre.
5. On the final day, Amadia Shopping Centre hosted a musical concert to thank the public for their support and to celebrate Chef Smith and his team for their
extraordinary achievement of 802-hour marathon cook-a-thon.
6. The event concluded on March 6, 2024, with Chef Smith expressing gratitude to the CEO of Amadia Shopping Centre, the management team, his team members, and the staff for their relentless efforts and support.
7. Following the event, Amadia Shopping Centre’s management made several attempts to contact Chef Smith’s team regarding the progress of video uploads
and the Guinness World Records (GWR) response, but received no replies.
8. On July 3, 2024, a flyer announced a press conference by Chef Smith at the La Palm Royal Beach to disclose the outcome of his GWR attempt, without
notifying Amadia Shopping Centre, the main sponsor, in violation of the contract.

9. The contract stipulated that the sponsor has the right of first refusal for any sponsored activities or projects after the attempt.
10. Numerous calls to Chef Smith’s management for clarification about the press conference were ignored.
1. Amadia Shopping Centre’s management led by nana boroo went to La Palm Hotel to verify the authenticity of Chef Smith’s GWR certificate due to
concerns about their corporate brand affiliated with Chef Smith.
12. Upon arrival, Chef Smith and his new management team denied Amadia Shopping Centre representatives entry to the press conference.
13. Despite repeated attempts to stop the press conference and resolve the issue, Chef Smith’s team locked out Amadia Shopping Centre’s management.
14. To protect Amadia Shopping Centre’s brand, management called the police to halt the press conference until Chef Smith could provide proof of the GWR certificate’s authenticity.
15. The police intervened after the announcement of the results and the
presentation of the GWR certificate. Following a brief altercation, Chef Smith and his manager were taken to the police station for further questioning.
16. The police have taken over the investigation to determine the authenticity of the GWR certificate.
17. Amadia Shopping Centre’s management assures all Ghanaians of their commitment to supporting individuals aiming for GWR attempts to promote
Ghana globally.
18. The management expresses heartfelt thanks to the police for thier intervention and to all Ghanaians and patrons for their ongoing support and
patronage.
19. For media engagement and interviews call our media coordinator on 0244-484534 / 0532403148
20. Thank you.
Signed. Management