I loved this story !
Becoming an adult, the difficulties of find a first job, know what we really want to do after out studies : all this things talk to me a lot ! It’s not always easy to make choices with all the pressure around us. Parents, friends, anybody else.
In this story, we have all of that. But really well done. And with a lot of humor (I loved the really cute pig !), our hero, would like to be journalist but no one give him his chance. But he likes to cook. So, when he found a job in a restaurant, it’s like a revelation : THIS is what he want to do. Or maybe, it’s because of the chief : his ndw crush.
I really appreciate this story, how we can see the main caracter grow and makes his own choices. And the drawing too, And the romance, in fact, everything !

This was such a lovely comic.
It's about growth, romance and best of all: food, which looks ridiculously good.

Ben Cook (yeah, I know) has just finished school and moved in with his friends, ready for new adventures in the grown up world. Unfortunately it doesn't go as planned as finding a job proves more difficult than he imagined.
One day he walks by a restaurant looking for a new cook, and here his life gets turned upside down with the help of a good looking chef, an angry manager and a pig who's a really picky eater.

It was just a really good slice of life comic, with a splash of romance and a ton of cuteness!

This graphic novel is a sweet treat of a coming of age read. Newly graduated and feeling the pressure of his parents to succeed in the field they chose for him, Ben Cook is desperately looking for a job in publishing. Unfortunately he finds himself in the catch-22 of needing experience to get hired, but cannot get hired to get that needed experience. Then he sees a help wanted poster in the window of a high end restaurant. Since he enjoys cooking for his friends (and potential boyfriends), he thought it would make a nice stop-gap job until something better comes along. That the sou-chef Liam is sweet candy both for the eyes and the heart is an added bonus. But first, he must prove himself to the gruff and grumpy chef. . . and the chef's pig.

Ben "Cook the Cook" is so easy to identify with - on the cusp of adulthood with so many choices to make that will have consequences on the rest of his life. He loves reading and writing, but is copy editing what he really wants to do forever? Or is it what his parents want? Is his new passion for cooking and baking fueled by a drive to have more life experiences and learn about other career paths. . . or a passion of a different kind aimed at Liam? What is it he really wants, and will his best friends be left behind as he moves forward? His struggles with lack of confidence, shyness, and overbearing parents add to his human believability. He also learns that he cannot hold his alcohol. . . much to his embarrassment. As a reader, I just wanted to give him a hug, or cheer for him when he succeeded.

I also loved the cadre of Ben's friends and roommates. They are so different and diverse, yet are the best of friends. They support each other, even if they have no clue what the other is talking about. From practicing "Shakespeare Speech" to yoga poses to cheering for free food, they are the added spice that brings life to Ben's world. And when Ben begins to change, that spice can sometimes be hard for each of them to swallow.

The art is beautiful, the story engaging and fun, and the characters are well rounded and easy to care about. It is definitely for the Older Teen and older range, as there is some strong language, consumption of alcohol, and references to drug use. Warning - you will be soooooo hungry when you finish this book!

Recommended for fans of Ngozi Ukazu and C.S. Pacat.

* I received this book as an eARC through NetGalley. The opinions in this review are my own. *

This was such a cute and adorable graphic novel. The storyline was interesting, the art was adorable, and I quickly fell in love with all the characters. All in all I absolutely adored this cute, funny, queer graphic novel.

I received this eArc through NetGalley for review.

Let me start off by saying that this story hit home for me. It’s about the male lead and his friends figuring out what to do with their lives after undergrad. Ben is a lovable main character and all the side characters had unique personality traits that made it easier to love their friend dynamic. This graphic novel is humorous, realistic, and romantic. I especially appreciated the LGBTQ+ romance and some of the diversity in the characters.

Please please read whenever you get the chance!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a sweet graphic novel with some truly delicious looking food. I loved the romance as well as the exploration around figuring out career paths after university. All of the characters were super interesting and the friendships were really at the heart of the story.

I really enjoyed reading this! It was so refreshing to see a young person going through some tough times that a lot of us can relate to, dealing with roommates, crushes, falling out with friends. But alongside that see the joy and passion come through in the job they have. I’ll certainly be hunting down a physical copy to buy!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC for an honest review!

This was the oh-so-lovely, arrow-to-the-heart type of book.

Searching for your true passion, as well as finding your role in the world are two of my favorite tropes.

Ben's adventures were so funny and over-the-top. The entire cast had me laughing all the way through.

For this being my first graphic novel, I really, really enjoyed it!

What happens after college? After you have your degree and there’s no more school left? You go find a job, that’s what!

Ben is fresh out of college, moved in with his roommates and best friends and anxiously looking for a job. The only problem? Everyone wants someone with experience. Then Ben stumbles upon a restaurant hiring people with zero experience and it’s like fate. He goes in and it’s nothing like what he was expecting.

I LOVED this book. Graphic novels have a special place in my heart and Chef’s Kiss absolutely deserves its’ place there. I fell for Ben and Liam so fast and as much as I tried to space out readng this book, I finished it in one day and then just hugged my iPad for a bit once it was over. That’s the kind of story this is: warm, cozy and full of food. I think I was snacking the entire time while reading this, and once you read it, you’ll know why, it’s hard not too when the art is so well drawn and the food is just everywhere.

Another reason I truly loved this book was because of the post-college work conflict. It’s something I worry about constantly, and just like Ben’s parents push him to get a job in his field and he worries constantly, I know I’m going to be the same. I truly loved his attitude shift as he got more and more comfortable with his surroundings and how he began to see his new job as a “I’m doing this because I like it and not because I don’t have any other options.” Also the food critic pig: yes there was an actual food critic pig. I shall say no more. Just that this book is the best thing to read when you need a smile on your face or a reading slump broken.

Chef's Kiss was a book that, much like many of the dishes covered in it, acted like a perfect comfort food. While I'm often someone that clamors for more complicated depictions of queerness and queer characters in media, there is always something to be said for queer media that really captures the feeling of putting on a comfortable romcom.

While the plot wasn't complicated, it really didn't need to be: it spared space for the emotions of the characters (especially Ben) to really blossom into life, and also allowed for the truly stunning art to take center stage. Ben's struggle with figuring out where to go after college felt truly so understandable, it was captured in a way that really pointed to both the joys and the flaws in attempting to do that. Furthermore, the romance was sweet, with all the usual complications of being a person built in, and I genuinely enjoyed watching it progress.

Overall, I found this a truly charming story, that acted as a gentle emotion balm and a bit of comfort media on a dark fall day.

Ben Cook is searching for a job to gain experience but, as it happens, he can’t get a job with no prior experience, so he ends up getting the job he never thought would be such a perfect fit for him: a job at a restaurant.
But this is not ordinary restaurant, either. Among the delightful characters who wander these walls, there are two who get Ben’s attention from the start. Liam, a colleague covered in dreamy tattoos and muscles; and Watson, a pig. A literal, pink, four-legged animal who “works” as the judge in the different challenges Ben will have to go through in order to maintain his new job.
Oh my goodness, was this comic cute. Like, so, so, cute. I loved Ben’s personality and his insecurities were depicted in a really realistic way. His roommates were not as fleshed out as him, but they felt like real people with real struggles too. I kind of doubted if everything is seen from Ben’s point of view, because if not, Liam is quite literally perfect in every single way. They were really cute together and I thought the pacing of the relationship was just perfect.
And the food seemed so tasty! I must admit I do have this tendency to really like food in comic book and animation, but the plates here were on another level. It made me so hungry!

Chef's Kiss is a cute and fun romance for food lovers. A sweet story with yummy food, lots of laughs and a fresh art style.

Who doesn't love a good slow burn story? lol, but this isn't what the whole story is about. At the root of it, is Ben Cook. Just graduated college and trying to find a job with his degree. (Aren't we all?) He ends up being put to the test to see if he has what it takes to be a chef. While going through the weeks he's hiding the secret from his parents, which doesn't turn out so well. Then there's some soul searching and at the end a happy ending!

I would highly recommend this book to everyone. Just maybe not while hungry. haha

This was SO cute, I really really enjoyed it! I was so invested in the characters and was utterly charmed. Can't wait to read more from this author!

First - I want to say that the graphic of this is so perfect. I loved turning each page and seeing the small details displayed throughout each panel. At the beginning of the graphic novel, we see the main character, Ben, go through a rough time in landing a job with numerous interviews. It was so relatable to see this on pages because I know many of us have gone through the interview process only to be let down because there was no professional experience listed on our resume.

The line, "How are you supposed to get experience when nobody will hire you unless you have experience?!" was something I said to myself numerous times when I graduated college and was looking for a job right out of school. I loved that the main character begins to cook because that's what he does to destress. This was so relatable on so many levels. He stumbles across a 'Help Wanted' sign and walks inside, only to stumble on his words when he meets the sexy Sous-chef, Liam. He finds a job as a Cook and well... Read to find out what happens!

This book was fantastic. And made me very hungry. It was a fun read, I loved the like sprinkle of romance and the absolute great friendship. It was very wholesome!

Rating: 4.5

This was such a delight! I could tell from the first page this was going to be a blast. The characters were well balanced and realistic, their relationships with each other were genuine and interesting. I feel like all the side characters were well fleshed out and had a purpose in the story.
This graphic novel is about following your dreams, cooking, romance and a clever pig.
I loved the romance however I wished it was a bit more romance-y. The main focus of this story really was Ben and his journey training to be a chef and completing challenges to be hired for the job.
It was a nice quick read and the artwork was perfect for the setting and story.
I would love to read more from these creators in the future!
If you’re looking for a quick, sweet LGBT romance, with a focus around cooking, definitely pick this up on release date!

A sweet and queer new adult story! Writing major Ben Cook’s done everything he was supposed to do but after graduation he can’t find a job because he doesn’t have enough experience. Growing increasingly desperate he applies to a restaurant position with a “No Experience Necessary” sign. A successful home cook, he finds this is something he really enjoys even though he’s facing a series of challenges from the owner, is falling for one of the sous chefs, and has to lie to his parents because he’s not “properly” using his degree.

Many of you know I love a good graphic novel and when I heard this one also included cooking I jumped at the chance to pick it up! I enjoyed reading about all of the characters and their relationships with each other. I really liked Ben's friend group and how they were supportive of each other. Watson, the pig mascot of the restaurant where Ben works was a lot of fun! He judged all of Ben's dishes which was really cute! I loved the art style as well! It was really well done and brought the story to life. The plot was interesting and kept me entertained. I also liked the romance side plot. I only wish the book was a bit longer so that I could get to know the side characters a bit more. Overall a fun read!

This graphic novel ridiculously cute and fun and everything I never knew I wanted. From the first page I was hooked, and I just kept getting drawn in by how fun and wholesome it is.

Some of my favorite moments are when Ben (our MC) faces life as an adult post college and has to figure out who he is compared to the expectations of his family. It has a very millennial mindset on adult life and getting a job. The romance in this is subtle and more a side thing, where as the majority of the story revolves around Ben and his own personal journey.

The side characters are lots of fun and feel pretty fleshed out. I would have liked to see Ben have some more one-on-one time with all three of his roommates, but overall I felt like they added to the story more than they just took up space. I am also very much in love with Watson the pig and need a whole graphic novel just about him.

Chef's Kiss is a must read, so don't pass up on this wonderful story!