Pretoria barbecue record attempt awaits official ruling

Hundreds of people gathered in Pretoria on Thursday for an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous barbecue, with the outcome still pending an official review.

The event was held on Heritage Day, a South African national holiday that celebrates the country’s diverse cultural heritage. The day is also informally known as Braai Day, reflecting the tradition of bringing people together around a barbecue.

Organizers targeted 3,000 participants

Event organizers said they hoped to attract 3,000 people across approximately 500 grilling stations. Their goal was to exceed the existing record of 2,200 people barbecuing at the same time in Ishigaki, Japan, in 2023.

Guinness World Records required each participant to barbecue simultaneously for at least five minutes in order to be counted. The final number of qualifying participants and stations had not been confirmed.

Officials were reviewing the evidence from the gathering, and a decision was expected on Friday. Until that review is completed, it remains unclear whether Pretoria’s attempt has set a new record.

Food and community gathering

Participants cooked boerewors, a traditional coiled farmer’s sausage, along with burgers, steaks and lamb chops.

Rethabile Ntsoko, one of the participants, described the gathering as a source of connection. “It’s some sort of thing that keeps us connected, and we are here at the biggest world braai,” Ntsoko said.

South Africa also fell short in an attempt made the previous year. Organizers hoped the latest event would succeed while continuing the communal tradition associated with Heritage Day.

Funds raised through the event were intended to help provide one million meals across South Africa on World Food Day. The organization responsible for raising and distributing the funds was not identified.