Speaking in an interview on Onua FM on 10 July 2024, Dr. UN claimed that he was unaware of the whole controversy until he started being tagged in social media discussions.
According to him, he would advise Chef Smith to independently organise the cook-a-thon, rather than seeking Guinness World Record validation.
He said that creating a personal brand for the cook-a-thon could lead to greater long-term success and the possibility of turning it into an annual event.
“I didn’t even know anything about Chef Smith or the cook-a-thon saga. It was when someone asked me why people were tagging me about the issue before I went to do my research.
“I think Chef Smith should have consulted me before attempting his cook-a-thon.
“I would tell him to do the cook-a-thon on his own (without going under the flag of Guinness). He could have branded his cook-a-thon to be even bigger than the Guinness World Record brand.
“Because after the Guinness attempt, they would leave him, but if it was his own brand, he could continue with it and even make it an annual event,” he said.
Dr. UN also mentioned that he would give Chef Smith a positive citation to enhance his reputation.
“I would give him a positive citation which could give him a standing on his own. I would even bring a High Commissioner to present the award to him to give it some credibility,” he said.
Earlier this week, Chef Smith held a press conference where he announced himself as the current record holder for the Longest Cooking Marathon.
He proudly displayed a certificate from Guinness World Records that was later exposed as fraudulent.