Ief De Vos from the Eel Lekker (Delicious) chip shop in Ravels-Eel (Antwerp Province) has broken the world record for frying chips. At 7 pm yesterday evening, he had spent 150 hours behind his deep fryer, thereby breaking the previous record set by a fellow chip shop owner from Merelbeke-Melle (East Flanders). “I’ll keep going until Friday evening. By then I’ll have reached 200 hours,” says Ief.
Since 1 pm last Thursday, Ief De Vos, owner of Eel Lekker chip shop in Ravels-Eel, has been frying chips non-stop. At 7 pm yesterday evening, he broke the world record.
The previous record was held by chip shop owner Joeri Cornelis of De Zoutkorrel in Merelbeke-Melle, who fried chips for 150 hours straight last September.
‘It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. I’d practised for five days beforehand, but you can’t really prepare for this. I certainly won’t be doing it again soon.’
A week-long celebration
To break the world record, Ief pulled out all the stops. ‘I took a half-hour break at 12, 4 and 8 pm. The rest of the time was spent frying. The hardest moments were between 5 and 6 am. That’s when the chip shop was empty and your body is screaming for sleep.’
Why did the chip shop owner keep frying non-stop for around nine days? ‘Actually, I’m just a real competitive person. From the moment I set up the chip shop, this idea was in my head,’ Ief told VRT News.
For partner Marian Buelens, the chip marathon is just as tough: ‘I don’t sleep any more or any less, because we’re really in this together. It just takes a lot of planning, and you just have to keep going.’
Chips for the pigs
Ief fries chips from morning till night, even when there are no more customers. ‘We fry as few chips as possible during the night,’ explains Marian. ‘Any chips we have left over go to a local farmer. He feeds them to his pigs. So nothing goes in the bin.’
Ief himself is also gradually losing his appetite for chips: ‘I usually eat chips quite often while working, but I haven’t had the appetite these past few days. I’ve seen too many chips, so I think I’ve lost my appetite.’
On to 200 hours!
Although the official record was broken Wednesday evening, Ief is diligently carrying on. ‘The aim is to keep going until 9 pm on Friday evening. That will take us to a total of 200 hours.’
How will the chip shop owner celebrate? ‘We’re heading straight for the airport, because we need to give our brains a bit of a rest.’