Benin: Chef Love Anick Ploka, aka Eden Food, takes on a culinary challenge of 100 pots in 24 hours

The kick-off took place at 7 a.m. this Saturday, November 28, 2025 on the esplanade of Canal Olympia in Cotonou. In front of a curious audience and an online community, Eden Food officially launched her extraordinary challenge of 100 50-kg pots to prepare in a record time of 24 hours. A culinary performance as ambitious as it is humanitarian. This initiative was conceived to provide hot, nutritious meals to thousands of vulnerable Beninese people.

Led by Fernando Manofi, the initiative aims to bring together influencers, associations, charitable organizations and volunteers. The goal is to cook 5 tonnes of food intended for street children, the elderly, psychiatric patients, orphans, prisoners and impoverished families.

Organizers estimate that around 25,000 to 30,000 beneficiaries will receive these meals, through a distribution logistics network organized in orphanages, hospitals, reception centers, nursing homes and underprivileged neighborhoods.

For the organizers, it’s about showing that cooking can become a powerful tool for cohesion and support for the most vulnerable. By highlighting local recipes prepared in very large quantities, Eden Food also helps promote the richness of Beninese gastronomy.