Close this MEET Judy Ann Santos, soccer mom.

Close this MEET Judy Ann Santos, soccer mom.

While watching 6-year-old adopted daughter Yohan’s football game, Santos gives Inquirer an interview.

She insists that she’s enjoying her extended maternity break, six months after giving birth to son Lucho. “I never thought I’d have the patience to be a mom,” she admits. “Now I understand; I can spend the entire day with my kids.”

It’s good training for her new assignment, too, as host of the upcoming ABS-CBN kiddie show, “Junior MasterChef,” based on a popular British franchise.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the kids on the show,” she says. “I want to watch them behind the scenes. When I was told about this project, I immediately downloaded episodes from the Net.”

She’s unfazed that GMA 7 has jumped the gun with its own “Amazing Cooking Kids,” hosted by Carmina Villaroel. “There’s plenty of room for everyone who loves cooking,” she says. “It’s healthy competition. Lots of kids are interested in culinary arts. Some kids can make risotto and roulade and take summer classes.”

She doesn’t mind waiting for “Junior MasterChef” to begin. “We want to make sure that we stick to the show’s ‘bible.’ We held nationwide auditions and are now looking for the right venue for the show.”

In any case, the long wait allows her to amply prepare for her new job.

“Hosting isn’t my forte,” she concedes. “I’ll have to ask my husband for tips.” Hubby is Ryan Agoncillo, host of GMA 7’s “Eat Bulaga” and TV5’s “Talentadong Pinoy.”

She says Lucho is a cross between them. “Lucho has Ryan’s eyes and my lips. His facial expressions are Ryan’s, but the shape of his face is round … from me.”

If there were TV commercial offers for Lucho, would they give their consent, since Yohan already came out in a Lactum ad?

“For the right product, why not?” says Juday. “We want to make sure it’s something we really use.”

“I want my kids to be kids first,” she says. “I was a child star, but times are different now. Kids are more advanced. It’s a different ball game.”

Proud mom says Yohan finessed the shoot, though. “I warned the ad agency that if Yohan didn’t feel like shooting that day, we’d have to give up on the idea,” she recounts. “But it seems she had fun.”