Pope Francis is an octogenarian. Hence, it is essential he takes food that is nutritious, less spicy and, at the same time, easily digestible. Many reputed chefs, who have had the opportunity to cook for the head of the Roman Catholic Church, say that they were very cautious while preparing his food.
Not only were they asked to remember the Pope's food preferences, but they also had to keep in mind the pontiff's age and health condition. Chef Ibarra, who works at a restaurant in Mexico and had the rare opportunity to cook for Pope Francis, said it is essential to look after the pontiff's digestion, NDTV reported.
According to Chef Ibarra, when he got the opportunity to cook for the Pope at his restaurant, he decided to cook simple delicacies with fresh ingredients, as they would not only be light on the stomach but also easy to digest. At the same time, the food would have very fewer spices, but still be delicious.
"It is not only difficult, but also very challenging to create a plate of food that looks nice, taste wonderful, but is created with nominal ingredients that are healthy and easy to digest," Chef Ibarra recounted.
Meanwhile, the Pope, who loves pizza, was told by his doctors to cut down on the food and exercise more, another report said. In fact, the pontiff was looking chubbier those days, around two years back, complained of feeling weary.
In fact, during his days in Argentina, Pope Francis was known to lead a frugal lifestyle and walked as much as he could. But after becoming the Pope, he said on several occasions that he doesn't expect to remain Pope for more than a few years. These remarks triggered speculations about possible health issues.
Therefore, when Chef Jessie Sincioco from the Philippines got a similar opportunity last year, she also decided to cook simple foods. However, she ensured that the food contained all the favorite ingredients of the Pope. She took care to use these ingredients to prepare delectable yet light delicacies.
"I had to do my due-diligence. I had to research. I went to the bookstore and bought all the books about him!" Chef Jessie disclosed during an online interview. She added, "He would eat very simple food. I found out he has a sweet tooth from my readings. He liked stuff like dulce de leche, media luna. He loved the bread."
Therefore, Chef Jessie's primary aim was to keep the menu healthy as well as nutritious. Since the Pope hails from Argentina, Chef Jessie said she had to do plenty of research on the native Argentine cuisine. The chef revealed that the pontiff has a weakness for meats as well as fish.
The delicacies she specially prepared for the Pope's delight included ciabatta and croissants for breakfast, in addition to fresh fruits, especially Filipino mangoes, and yoghurt. Moreover, she included an assortment of cold cuts that were specially flown in from Italy.
Chef Jessie also served the Pope few other things including tortellini soup, chicken soup with fresh vegetables in beef broth, spaghetti carbonara, saffron risotto, orange and many other delicacies.
