Why Pope Leo XIV Always Cleans His Plate

Even for those of us who are Catholic, the pope has always seemed like a far-off, remote figure. Pope Leo XIV, however, is a different matter entirely, because for the first time in literally forever, we have an American pontiff. He's from Chicago, which automatically makes him relatable (even to those of us in Wisconsin, where we're typically not too fond of our neighboring state). Imagine –- a pope who might have visited Culver's! The chain may no longer be regional, but it's still a major source of pride for Midwesterners, so we're thrilled at the thought of a future pope downing cheese curds and butter burgers. 

Beyond the realm of speculation, we're eagerly soaking up every tidbit of verifiable information we can find about the man who now bears the title Vicar of Christ, such as his fondness for tennis and the fact that he's a White Sox fan. One particularly endearing characteristic is that he's also a charter member of the clean plate club.

John Allen, editor of Catholic news website Crux, spoke with CBS News about the new pope, during the course of which interview he related the story of his recent dinner with the man then known as Cardinal Prevost. Allen remarked on the fact that his guest was eating every bite of what was served to him, and he told the cardinal that he wasn't obliged to finish everything on his plate. The future pope said he couldn't help it; that's just how he was raised. In his mind, it would be rude to refuse anything he was served.

John Allen didn't disclose what was on the menu when he dined with then-Cardinal Prevost, but the internet has been going to town connecting the new pope to all kinds of Chicago specialties. Some have joked about deep-dish pizza replacing communion wafers (despite the fact that it's not the favorite of most Chicagoans), with the oh-so-hateable Malört taking the place of communion wine. (That might be blasphemy, though, since we're pretty sure Malört is the devil's brew.) While it's possible that Pope Leo XIV retains a fondness for foods related to his roots, he also spent more than 20 years in Peru and actually holds citizenship in that country, so it's no surprise that many of his favorite foods are Peruvian.

The cuisine of Peru shows numerous global influences, having been shaped by European, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African immigrants. Some of the dishes the pope enjoyed during his time in that country were duck with rice and goat, but his particular favorites were ceviche and carne asada. Still, he was always happy to eat anything put before him, and was just as glad to dine on the cheese, corn, and potatoes that are staples in the campesino communities. His beverage of choice, however, is one that's known and loved all over the globe — sorry, Pepsi, the pope's a Coke fan.