For chef who catered Pope Francis' meals in Manila, blessings still coming a year on

Jessie Sincioco was the lucky chef chosen to craft Pope Francis' meals when he visited the Philippines last year.

She pulled out all the stops while sticking to a simplistic theme, and all efforts turned out to be worth it when the Pontiff scraped the bottom of the plates and sent his compliments to the chef.

But for Chef Jessie, it wasn't merely the Pope's satisfaction that came as a blessing.

Shortly after the Pope's departure, people started calling all three branches of the Chef Jessie Restaurants, requesting to try what the Holy Father ate in the duration of his stay. The demand prompted Chef Jessie to make a menu of Pope Francis' favorite meals available in her restaurant.

"The turnout was really amazing," Chef Jessie told GMA News Online. "To the point where I told my staff... 'I think we overdid it.' We were really overbooked."

The "Holy Father's Menu" is comprised of Chef Jessie's Ciabatta Bread, Media Luna, Rolls and Butter, and Beef Consomme for the appetizer, roast U.S. Black Angus Beef Au Jus for the main course, and Flambeed Mango for dessert.

Not a day went by without anyone ordering the meal set, the chef said.

However, Chef Jessie never planned on keeping the blessing of her booming business to herself. When she decided to offer the meal set in her restaurants, she also decided to donate half of the proceeds to Tulay sa Kabataan Orphanage, the foundation that Pope Francis visited during his stay in the Philippines.

"As the Holy Father says, we have to walk our talk," she said. "I really was inspired to share.

"The Pope also declared this year as the Jubilee Year, the Year of Mercy," she added, explaining that this is her way of abiding by the Pope's word.

Last December 8, Pope Francis opened the Jubilee Year of Mercy, where believers can ask forgiveness for their sins and renew their relationship with God. It will run until November 20.

The Holy Father's Menu will be available until the Jan. 20, exactly a year after the time she offered it in her restaurants.

Contaminated by holiness

Even before Pope Francis graced the Philippines with his presence, Chef Jessie was already a spiritual person. After her experience during the papal visit, she became even more so.

"When you meet someone so holy, it's like you get contaminated," Chef Jessie laughed. "I'm so glad I got contaminated!"

She said that people would come to her restaurant and request to meet her. The visitors would touch her and exclaim "This is the closest I can come to the Pope."

Being chosen to create meals for the Pope gave her more confidence as a chef and an artist, Chef Jessie shared.

"Imagine, my cooking being acceptable to the vicar of Christ," Chef Jessie said.

"It was like reaffirmation," she added. "Maybe I cook well." —JST, GMA News