Absolutely delightful graphic novel about a college graduate who's life takes an unexpected turn post-graduation. A story about the different types of love we find in life, following your passion, and navigating adulthood.

A must read for fans of Check, Please.

This book is absolutely adorable both in story and in the art! (And the pig!)

My favorite romance books either take place in a bookshop or a bakeshop, and this graphic novel checked all the boxes. A fun new adult romance in the form of a graphic novel, which will appeal to a whole different audience of my customers. I'm excited to be able to recommend this book and add it to my Valentine's Day displays. Totally worth the afternoon and evening you will spend reading this.

4 Stars

To be published on 1st March 2022.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free copy.

Chef’s Kiss is a lovely story with nice characters and fun aspects. It definitely made me hungry and I loved the foodie moments. Also obviously loved the pig. The romance is a very soft aspect of the graphic novel that focuses on self discovery.

It definitely touches something that many of us can relate to – the pressure of finding the right job and realising how difficult it is, how doing your best at school is simply not enough anymore. Some of us will be employed before we graduate, some will struggle as every entry level job looks for someone with years of experience. And let’s not start with the other question – do we even want to do what we studied for? I related to Ben’s struggle a lot.
Some of us know who we are since we are young, some struggle to realise for a while. And there is the pressure of seeing others succeed, of parents having expectations. Chef’s kiss definitely was spot on here.

Now for the few problems;
While I enjoyed the art style, I felt it was sometimes missing the right facial expression.
The jokes weren’t that funny – the conversations were quite stiff and lecture-ish and so were the characters – it all felt a little cardboard cutout which made it difficult to care or get attached. Some of the moments felt unnatural.
Also I loved the pig but… it was a a little bit “huh?”

I think Chef’s Kiss needed… more. Either to be more funny or more loveable or with more focus on romance or more on friendship or characterisation? I guess it focused on the message which was great and relatable but only that and a slight taste of everything else was not enough.

I’d still recommend it for a nice evening read.

This was just so stinking cute!!!
The characters are all fantastic. Watson is just perfect.
The friendship's in this are so adorable and sweet.
It's relatable and well written. Such a treat from the first page! Warning it will make you hungry, so have a snack ready to go. The ending was just the cherry on top of the cake.

LOVED IT!

**this was given to me by Netgalley**

Barely out of college, Ben is ready to start his career as a writer. The only trouble is, no one hires him without experience. When he finds a sign outside a restaurant everything changes. The problem turns out to be when it becomes more than a fill-in job. Now he has to figure out who he is and what he wants to do with his life.

This graphic novel is gorgeously drawn and the illustrator focused plenty of attention on the food scenes, and all the coloring and sketching are stunning.

One thing that was not to my total liking was the restaurant owner's anger and grumpiness towards Ben; it seemed very forced, it came out of nowhere and seemed like it was unpleasant for no reason. Similarly, the conflict with Ben's parents also felt like it came out of nowhere, and escalated very quickly.

Characters:

I liked Ben Cook and related to his passion for reading and writing, as well as his fear of not living up to his parents' expectations. And seeing the way he was nervous about Liam made me laugh.

As for the secondary characters, I would have liked to see more character development. We don't know much about them and they are pretty one dimensional.

Pacing:

I found the pacing of this book to be a bit fast and by the same token, it failed to fully develop the characters and even make the ending somewhat rushed. Also, the romance felt very underdeveloped. But overall, I enjoyed the experience of reading this novel.

Good Points:

The one thing I did enjoy was reading about the difficulty in getting a job after college. The standards for college graduates are ridiculous and it's as if they are not meant to have lives until they retire.

I give it this rating mainly because of how much I loved the drawings and for relating somewhat to Ben.

This was too cute. Ooh how I did get hungry and planning to probably try any of the recipes in the book 😂. Favorite character was Watson and chef, they make the best companions, haha. Ooh cute and sweet, Liz yoga instructions was so calming, I felt like I was in the class too.

Totally recommended

Chef's Kiss offers some hard truths and deep thoughts (my favourite being the difficulty of getting a job without experience as I myself have struggled a lot with that as well), but so beautifully wrapped into comedy and joy, paired with beautiful illustrations, that it's easy to digest. It makes you think without making you anxious or sad. I originally expected a romance story with some background plot built around it to give it a frame, but what I received was a well-presented plot just spiced with enough romance that did not steal the spotlight. An absolutely delightful read, and the illustrations are a pleasure to the eye. Quick, joyful read, perfect to sneak in after a more serious book, maybe a historical or nonfiction, to put a smile on your face again, and to let you know that you're not the only one struggling with the little (or not so little?) things in life.
(Little note to the publisher, if they see this before release date: When Ben is job-hunting, his resume/CV is visible in one employer's hand, and it says Ben Baker instead of Ben Cook. Since this is an uncorrected proof, there's a chance that it has been corrected since then, but just wanted to let you know in case it went unnoticed.)

**3.5**

**Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc**

This was a really fun story that also touches upon some important topics. Ben has recently graduated from college and cannot find a job that has anything to do with his degree. Interview after interview has been a fail because everyone wants him to have more experience. I think this is something that so many people experience fresh out of college. It is beyond frustrating, but completely relatable! I think one of my favorite parts is the pig! It was such an odd concept but brought a great source of humor to the plot! I really liked the artwork, and I will be purchasing this book to my collection!

I did find a few parts to drag a little. For example, at the Yoga studio, I felt all the Yoga talk was too long and did not add anything to the plot.

Rating: 4.25 leaves out of 5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Genre: Romance
Type: Comic
Worth?: Yes!

First want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read for free in exchange for a honest review. I wasn't too sure how this story was going to go but I loved it. You see the struggle of the male lead and figuring himself out after graduating. What I really wish there were more of was the romance aspect of the book. It seemed to kind of build but it was faint and then at the end they hit you with it. I would have liked to see more build up so we could build our own connection with it as readers.

I really hope there is another volume coming out. I enjoyed the ride of the story!

Chef’s Kiss is an adorably human take on finding yourself and your dreams. The characters are real and lovable and the plot is light but realistic. Filling the journey of Ben, a young writer, who finds a temporary job cooking. You’ll be cheering for Ben along with his friends and hoping he makes the right decision.

Although I will not be adding this book to my curriculum, I will definitely be buying a copy for my classroom and recommending it to students. This story is universal and one we all need to hear. Because sometimes it takes time to find what you love.

This was adorable.
A relatable main character with a character arc that was easy to understand and connect to. A fabulous and supportive group of friends that won't hesitate to call one of their own on his bullshit when he's not being so nice. A swoony love interest that made for a charming romance. Great humor and overall fun.
I absolutely loved this.

I received the arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a delightful read! It feels like a warm cup of tea and being wrapped in a cozy blanket!

As someone who is queer and 20-something, and freaking out about life - this graphic novel caught my attention immediately. This is a story about Ben, who recently graduated, only to find out that he is underqualified for all of the jobs he applies for. The employers are all looking for someone with experience, and he has none. Feeling desperate he gets a job as a cook (no experience needed!), intending for it to be only a temporary solution. But life is often unexpected, and he finds himself rethinking his career path.

First, I have to mention, I absolutely loved the art in this novel! While I loved the story as well, a big part of a graphic novel is the art style, and I thought it was amazing. The illustrations are lovely, the overall color palette is great, and the art just adds so much warmth and loveliness to the story.

As I mentioned, I found this story very relatable and the characters seem very authentic. Alongside Ben, we follow his friends, with who he lives, and I enjoyed their relationships so much. They all seem like wildly different people but despite their differences, they are very supportive of each other and always looking out for their friends. They all seem like interesting and well-rounded characters.
Ben also meets people at his new restaurant job, and I very much enjoyed them too. We first meet Liam, the sous-chef, who Ben is immediately interested in. Their interactions and relationship overall are very cute and I was so happy reading about them. The romance is not the main focus, but I loved their dates and I thought they were really cute. The rest of the restaurant staff is great, they are warm and supportive of Ben. Even the chef, who at the beginning seems unfriendly, ends up being there for Ben when he needs it. And I absolutely loved Watson the food critic (who is also a pig).

This is a fun and quick read about growing up and figuring out where life will lead you. Ben starts the novel looking for jobs related to his English degree and ends up getting a job at the restaurant, which is a complete 180. It also deals with expectations, as Ben's parents put a lot of pressure on him to find a job in his field and "not waste his life". I think Ben goes a long way, even though the novel is short - from someone who is terrified of what comes next, to someone who knows what he wants. I think his relationships with friends also mature with him, and he learns to be happier.

This was a very cute book, with a lovely romance sprinkled in. I do wish the novel was a bit longer, as I definitely wanted to read more. I would wholeheartedly recommend this, especially if you're looking for something short and sweet!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! Chef's Kiss was an absolutely lovely read. From the amazing illutrations, to friendships, and to delicious food, I had so much fun reading this! The story's pacing was a little fast, but it matches the cute and light heartedness of the novel. highly recommend!

I enjoyed Chef's Kiss so much! As a recent graduate, the beginning definitely resonated with me. The plot was engaging, and the romance was super cute to follow. And of course, Watson the pig had to be one of the best parts. The art work was very beautiful as well. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, uplifting story to read.

The initial dilemma was pretty great and realistic, but I in my opinion the development and the end of the story was too predictable. It would be better if it was a little longer.

The art style was quite nice.

Overall was enjoyable, if it's gay I'll read it. It's a 3.5/5 for me.

Huge thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for sending me a digital reviewer's copy of the book.

It was a cute graphic novel and I overall enjoyed it, it's short, fast paced and it is more about discovering yourself and what you want to do with your life more than a love story.

Ben is 22 years old and has just graduated from college, he sends job applications everywhere and tries to get a job related to writing or reading, which is what he studied for. But every single place requires him experience (as a college student trying to find a job, I can relate to Ben's frustration), then he sees a restaurant that says they're employing people with no experience required. Since he really wants to start getting some money and it's not that bad at cooking, he makes an impulsive decision and applies.

And then he meets this super hot and cute guy called Liam that works there and Liam becomes his new crush. So now, Ben is caught in between many things, his parents pressure to find a job according to his career, Ben finding out that words are not his only passion and this whole thing with Liam are just confusing him more. Plus, THERE IS A PIG INVOLVED HERE. It's a pig with a refined taste and Ben has to cook for Watson, the pig, and if Watson approves his food, then Ben can get the job.

It was fun, it's a light and easy read that it's more about finding yourself, what you like and friendship. The love story is more like a side story.

My favorite quote:
“What is stupid is making teenagers decide what they want to do for the next fifty years for work when they barely know who they are as people.”

Reading Chefs kiss has been an absolute delight. There were so many great parts in the story as well as the illustrations.
I loved Ben’s character arc. I am just sad the book was so short. I wish there was more of Liam. There was hardly anything about him. I hope the authors and illustrators decide to make a series out of this with different characters.

I wanted to love this book so much, the premise seemed like it was right up my ally. But I found the humor was awkward and the art style was too stiff to match the energy, so it was a very cringy read. There was hardly any romance in the novel and most interactions felt so unrealistic.

The main character was very bland. He had hardly any personality and that sucked me out of the story. The roommates were even worse, any potential to be explored was taken away by the fact that we hardly saw them. Tom was the only character that didn't get on my nerves, and frankly he's responsible for one of those stars. The love interest had even less personality and it was hard to root for a relationship where I knew nothing about him.

This book had so much potential. It might have been the moment a character only spoke in Shakespeare quotes or when a pig finds inner peace and starts meditating that I realized there was no way I can give this book a good rating.

Oh my god, I really loved this book. I felt like I would from the moment I saw the cover, but I could not have anticipated how much. For starters, it has a similar tone to some of my other favorites, like Bloom and Check, Please!, while also having its own voice. It follows a young, recently graduated English major, Ben, who stumbles upon a cooking job when he fails to find a writing position. He's a hobby chef with promise, and of course it doesn't hurt that one of the restaurant's chefs is a very cute guy. There's a surprisingly large cast for a graphic novel, but it works perfectly as you get glimpses into Ben's personal and professional life and the ways they mingle and sometimes conflict. Ben has a supportive friend group who help him decide whether he's ready to set aside his previous career goals to pursue something new and exciting. The writing is tight and the use of visuals is superb. This is a story that thrives in graphic novel form and is just so satisfying to read. I appreciated how the moments of tension about Ben's career path allowed the story to dig deeper into the flaws of expecting people to only want one career and, importantly, to know exactly what they want. I think a lot of people could benefit from seeing Ben's story and from enjoying both its lighter and heavier moments. Overall, a fun and delightful read that I want to make all of my friends read.

This book is so cute. It's mostly fluff with the tiniest bit of angst to keep the story moving along. I'm always a sucker for a found queer family, and this did not disappoint.