A Uruguayan priest has made it to the final round of the MasterChef competition in this South American country, and is just a little away from being the overall winner.
Almost, a pastor won the MasterChef for Celebrity in Uruguay. His name is Juan Andrés Verde, affectionately known as Father "Gordo", parish priest of Stella Maris in Montevideo.
After a period of competition with candidates such as singers, actors, and priests, the priest finished second and successfully cooked colorful Catholic dishes, which were highly appreciated by the judges. One of these is a dessert favored by Pope John Paul II during his lifetime.
Famous desserts.
With his cooking skills, Father Verde gradually advanced to the final round of the competition. In the final round, held on December 10, 2021, the priest of the Stella Maris parish faced the challenge of preparing a three-course menu. The priest decided to make John Paul II's favorite cake.
“In memory of the Holy Pope, I made the dessert Papieska Kremowka (Polish for 'Pope cake'). This is a sweet with the colors of the Vatican: yellow and white. In addition, I also used sugar to decorate the cake in the shape of a cross, and at the same time added a few features to represent the symbolism of John Paul II," he said. He also revealed that dessert is his weak point, but “Pope John Paul II saved me”.
Cakes Papieska Kremowka
Among the contestants, Father Verde was the most popular contestant, thanks to the formulas and empathy that the priest brought.
In response to the Aleteia news site, he said: “I want to convey the message through each dish. For example, in the final round, the first dish was 'vitel toné', a traditional dish on Christmas Eve in South America. From there I want to emphasize the importance of the family, of Christmas in the presence of Jesus. The second dish is a dish that can appear in any home, continuing to remind of the warmth of the family." And finally the Papieska Kremowka.
With dessert, Father Verde wanted to pay tribute to the Pope saint who inspired him. Also to remember John Paul II, the priest decided to participate in the contest because he wanted to spread the spirit of the Catholic faith to the public.
Serving the poor
Cooking is just a small joy after days of hard work with Father Verde's pastoral ministry. Recently, he and the youth group Cireneos have implemented the Santa Eugenia program, which helps to roof the houses of low-income families in Uruguay: “With the help of young people, we are able to serve various regions, among them the vicinity of Santa Eugenia.
This place has 236 families in a very difficult situation. In addition, together with the youth of the parish, we implement programs to support schools, eliminate illiteracy for adults, and programs to teach children eloquence skills."
Father joined the MasterChef program partly to raise money to help the poor in Santa Eugenia. Although he did not become the champion, the priest received a significant amount of donations from benefactors when they heard his story. At the same time, I consider it a gift from God to be able to participate.
He was glad that through his passion for cooking could help spread the faith of Jesus. Now, Father Verde will continue his efforts to serve “the kitchen of the Lord.” In the near future, he hopes to have the opportunity to make dessert for Pope Francis to enjoy.
Source: Công giáo và Dân tộc