Chip shop Frituur De Wissel in Rijkevorsel, Antwerp hopes to break the record for non-stop frying of chips, currently held by a kiosk in a neighbouring village. To succeed, the friterie's Nick Van Den Langenbergh will have to fry chips for 127 hours and 15 minutes.
The world record attempt will start at the chip shop, which has been a staple in the village for 45 years, at 11:30 on Tuesday 6 August. By the evening of Sunday 11 August, Van Den Langenbergh may be able to call himself the new world record holder for frying chips.
"We are going to try to break the world record for frying fries! Come along and support us in this epic challenge," a post on the chip shop's social media wrote. To do so, he must stand at the fryer cooking chips for 127 hours and 15 minutes. To avoid food waste, it is possible to fry just a single chip.
For the record attempt to be officially recognised, it has to be registered by the US-based World Record Academy, meaning a camera will be filming everything and an attendance list of customers has to be handed in. It must also be observed by a sworn official (someone from the police or the mayor). Finally, if the world record is broken, Van Den Langenbergh even have to undergo a doping test.
Pictures of all the world record holders are hung up in the Frietmuseum in Bruges.
Neighbouring champions
Van Den Langenbergh is taking on the challenge a few months before his 50th birthday in November, however, the exact date was chosen as it marks three years since he and his wife Kay took over the chip shop. The current world record stands at 126 hours and 15 minutes, which since 2019 has been held by Luc Driesen of friterie Estrella, located in the village of Oostmalle, a 10-minute drive from Rijkevorsel.
The aspiring record holder told Gazet van Antwerpen Driesen told him not to underestimate the challenge. For Driesen, the first three days reportedly went quite smoothly, but then sleep deprivation kicked in, making the final sprint tough. To prepare for the attempt, Van Den Langenbergh has been going to the gym and going swimming regularly.
Throughout the week, accompanying the world record performance, Frituur De Wissel will also provide ample entertainment: concerts will be held every night, including in the afternoons on Friday and Sunday. On the final day, there will also be a children's disco and a bouncy castle. On social media, loyal clients have already vowed to support the marathon and pop in for some De Wissel's chips.
Whether he becomes the new record holder or not, Van Den Langenbergh has already scheduled a recovery period for himself, as the chip shop will be closed from 12 August to 29 August.
