From serving tears on screen, Judy Ann serves smiles in Vatican

Years after making her mark as an actress in soap operas, Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo has reached another milestone, this time in the culinary arts: serving signature dishes to nuns in the Holy See.

Isa sa mga pangarap ko, ang mapaglutuan ang mga madre na inaalagaan ako sa dasal at pagmamahal.. hindi ko naman naisip na sa loob ko pa ng vatican ito magagawa.. ???? napakasaya ng puso ko, ang sarap pakinggan nila sister matuwa at masiyahan sa niluto naming dinner para sa kanila. Thank you father mario for this beautiful, priceless experience.. hindi to pwedeng matapatan ng kahit anong outlet shops! ? thank you bub.. for making it even more special. ❤❤

A post shared by Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo (@officialjuday) on Apr 20, 2018 at 1:53pm PDT

The veteran actress posted on Instagram a picture of her and husband Ryan Agoncillo preparing a meal for a group of nuns in the Vatican City. She called the meeting a “beautiful, priceless experience.”

Santos prepared a salad topped with mulberries, a platter of seafood pasta, and a massive plate of leche flan, among others.

Judy Ann and Ryan also posted pictures from their adventures in the Holy See. The pair have not only been checking the sights but have also been hitting the local gastronomic circuit in Rome, as documented on Judy Ann’s Instagram account.

Judy Ann from the screen to the kitchen

Movies like Esperanza, Krystala, Basta’t Kasama Kita, and Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo easily come to mind when Judy Ann name is spoken.

Her jump from acting to cooking may come as no surprise since she studied in the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in 2006 and ran the now-closed Kaffe Carabana.

Her passion for cooking has been threaded into her showbiz life in some of her recent showbiz projects. She was the host of Junior Master Chef: Pinoy Edition which aired on ABS-CBN and, in 2016, starred in the Cinemalaya entry Kusina, which, as the title suggests, centers on cooking.

The visit to the Vatican may just be the zenith of her foray into the culinary arts.

“I would also like to teach housewives some culinary skills or even the bachelors out there who want to cook for their dates. I just want something fun to happen with my culinary skills,” Santos said in a 2008 interview with PhilStar.com.

Enter Judy Ann’s Kitchen

Currently, she stars in her own cooking show on Youtube called “Judy Ann’s Kitchen” where her children with Ryan also make guest appearances.

Judy Ann’s Kitchen features fancy, exquisite, and exotic fares, and also some friendly Filipino favorites, but with a new spin. New takes on school “baon” for kids, liempo and lechon kawali, and lengua are just among Judy Ann’s Kitchen’s biggest hits.

Her recipes and instructions can be found on her personal website.

Judy Ann’s Kitchen has revived collective gluttony for homecooked delicacies and also contributed to the internet’s meme circuit.