South Africans Aim to Set New World Record for Largest Cookout

Thousands of South Africans converged on a Pretoria sports stadium on Thursday, armed with tongs and sausages, in an ambitious attempt to break the world record for the largest cookout.

The target to beat was 2,220 people grilling simultaneously, a record established in Japan's Ishigaki City in 2023. Organizers estimated around 3,000 participants would be involved in this year's attempt, positioning them around 500 grilling stations.

According to the Guinness World Records adjudicator overseeing the event, Paulina Sapinska, the rules stipulated that all participants must be barbecuing simultaneously for a minimum of five minutes to be officially counted. She also noted that any participant leaving their station would result in disqualification.

Grilling meat outdoors over wood, charcoal, or gas is a deeply ingrained tradition in South Africa, known locally as a "braai." The favored meat for such occasions is often boerewors, a thick, coiled sausage. Burgers, steaks, and chops were also on the menu for the record attempt.

The mass cookout coincided with Heritage Day, a South African national holiday that celebrates the nation's diverse cultures and heritages. The holiday has informally become known as "Braai Day" due to the widespread popularity of cookouts as a celebratory activity across the country.

One participant, Alex Coetzee, who also took part in a previous unsuccessful attempt, expressed optimism. "It’s gonna be better (this time)," Coetzee said. "We’re actually gonna break the world record now. South Africans have the record and that’s the most important part."

Sapinska stated that officials were reviewing the evidence from the event and that the final determination on whether a new world record had been set would likely be announced on Friday.