Longest California roll: world record set by the Purchase College (VIDEO)
PURCHASE, NY, USA -- More than 300 Purchase College students and volunteers gathered together on the university's Great Lawn to fold a giant California roll that logged in at 504 feet, thus setting the new world record for the Longest California Roll, according to the World Record Academy.
Photo: Purchase College students and staff break a record for the world's longest California roll overseen by Food Network's celebrity chef Jet Tila Oct. 11, 2017 in Purchase. The mega maki required approximately 500 cups of vinegared rice, 800 sheets of nori paper, 125 avocados and 200 pounds of surimi, a fish paste. Photos: Tania Savayan (enlarge photo)
The mega maki required approximately 500 cups of vinegared rice, 800 sheets of nori paper, 125 avocados and 200 pounds of surimi, a fish paste.
Food Network's celebrity chef Jet Tila, who has appeared on Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen and Iron Chef America, oversaw all of the students' competitive culinary efforts, USA Today reports.
"Last year, Chef Jet came to campus and we made a 50-foot-long sushi roll in our dining hall," said Patrick Savolskis, executive director of the Purchase College Association, which oversees dining, the bookstore, transportation and other auxiliary services.
"The idea was raised that we could make a longer one. That's when we discovered that there was a world record held by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. We thought it would be fun to attempt to break it." (enlarge photo)
The previous record held by UMass Amherst was for a 422-foot version constructed in 2010. But Purchase College, SUNY bested that in less than two hours when World Record Academy members observing the event certified their 504-foot feat as the new "World's Longest California Roll," USA Today reports.
In addition to now being the longest, Purchase's culinary marvel may also be remembered by some as the most colorful: In acknowledgement of National Coming Out Day, the sushi rice was dyed rainbow shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Westchester Food Bank and Midnight Run, which helps homeless people in the area.