With the 2026 Guinness World Record is a group of young people with the librarian.
With the 2026 Guinness World Record book are Zukisa Xokwe (Librarian), Joël Joubert, Ellis Joubert, Roald Joubert, Gideon van Zyl and Johannes van Zyl. Credit: Supplied

JEFFREYS BAY – On 1 July, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver made an official attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the largest cookery lesson in multiple venues.

With the 2026 Guinness World Record is a group of people.
At the back are Tabita de Wet, Mariska de Wet, Koos de Wet, Katinka Joubert, Matthys de Wet and Pieter Joubert. In front are Zukisa Xokwe (Librarian), Johannes van Zyl, Roald Joubert, Gideon van Zyl, Joël Joubert and Ellis Joubert. Credit: Supplied

Kouga Kings Kids, the homeschool group from Jeffreys Bay and the surrounding area, assembled 22 children and their parents to help Jamie Oliver reach his record by cooking handmade pasta from scratch.

While following the chef step by step in real time on a Zoom call, the kids kneaded, rolled and cooked their very own pasta.

They also made a fresh no-cook tomato and basil sauce to top it all off.

By 7 July, the numbers were counted and cross-checked, and news got out that the record was smashed with a total of 10,515 participants worldwide, from across six continents and 42 countries.

While chopping, stirring and tasting, Kouga Kings Kids helped make history.

The official certificate awarded to Kouga Kings Kids and a printout of the record entry from the Guinness World Records website, as well as some photographs, are displayed in the Jeffreys Bay Library (Elsa van Lingen Community Library).

The 2026 Guinness World Records book was also donated to the library as a gesture of gratitude.

The Jamie Oliver Cookery entry is found only on the Guinness World Records website and not in the book, since only 4,000 entries out of the 40,000 yearly records make it into the book.

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