Guatemalan chefs prepare over 4,000 lb of meat and veggies for the largest fiambre salad

A group of chefs based in Guatemala City, Guatemala have claimed a delicious Guinness World Records title for the largest fiambre salad in history, after preparing over two tons (1,814 kg) of fresh meat and vegetables for a gigantic cultural celebration.

Hosted just before All Saints Day and All Souls Day (1 and 2 November) – the typical dates in which Guatemalans serve fiambre – the spectacular spread was organized by Toledo Alimentos (Guatemala) on 24 October.

Fiambre is a chilled salad, packed with dozens of ingredients such as: eggs, cold cuts, sausages, and other meats, veggies such as corn, peppers, lettuce, and onions; topped with a bright dressing, and accentuated with any other regional flavours that a family prefers. 

Guatemalans have made their own variations of the classic dish for generations, and reportedly the tradition began as relatives brought different meals to the graves of their ancestors during Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and would end up mixing them all together into this giant salad.

Over the years, Toledo Alimentos has provided the ingredients for families making this traditional meal, and they wanted to celebrate this tradition by breaking the Guinness World Records title at the end of this month

They did so by spending hours in the kitchen alongside a hardworking crew of chefs and volunteers, who prepared a salad weighing 4,325.9 lb (1,962.2 kg) for the people in their community.

That’s a meal heavier than a giraffe!

“For Toledo, fiambre is much more than a seasonal recipe: it is family, unity, and pride in what is ours,” said Juan José Gutierrez Herrarte, Commercial Director of Meat Solutions at Toledo Alimentos. 

“And today, that tradition, kept alive from generation to generation, transcends borders with global recognition!”

Read more stories about record-breaking dishes in our dedicated Food and Drink section!

In addition to the mouthwatering meal being prepared onstage, the community that packed the central plaza in Centro Comercial Cayalá that day were invited to take part in other traditional Guatemalan activities, including a weaving session with an accomplished artist.

They also listened to music and made new friends around the brightly dressed tablescapes, adorned with blue napkins and colourful flowers that invoked the celebratory nature of the event.

Finally, after hours of cooking, the fiambre salad was almost complete – and as chefs stirred up the ingredients with massive wooden paddles, sprinkling on the last ingredients and gently arranging the toppings, the room became excited to eat (and to find out if they had broken a record).

And sure enough, Guinness World Records Adjudicator Susana Reyes was ready to provide some answers. 

Assisting the measurement professionals, they weighed the finished fiambre at 4,325.9 lb (1,962.2 kg), far surpassing the minimum of 1,100 lb (500 kg) and allowing Toledo Alimentos to take the title.

Onstage, Susana was thrilled to announce the successful record, and the entire crowd was overjoyed to learn that they were soon able to taste culinary history.

“Adjudicating this monumental attempt was an extraordinary experience,” she said. “Seeing the meticulous precision with which the 52 distinct ingredients, vegetables, meats, and traditional caldillo were integrated and weighed under strict metrological supervision in the heart of Guatemala City was truly impressive. 

“The passion and organization behind this cultural celebration made it an unforgettable event.”

So congratulations to Toledo Alimentos for bringing fiambre into the record books – you are Officially Amazing!