This was a sweet, quick read that made my heart happy. It was a quick read, and the story was intriguing. I loved the ideas of recipes the characters created, and it made me want to cook more.

Buen día, gente bonita. Espero que estén de humor para un cómic tan divertido como tierno, y una dosis ligera de drama. Hace mucho tiempo que quería leer algo sobre la vida de los universitarios recién graduados, así que no lo pensé dos veces cuando me crucé con Chef's Kiss, de Jarrett Melendez. ¡Gracias a la editorial por enviarme una copia a cambio de una reseña honesta a través de NetGalley!
La historia es bastante sencilla: conocemos a Ben y a su grupo de amigos cuando empiezan a buscar empleo luego de terminar sus estudios, cosa que me encanta. Buscar trabajo es ridículamente traumático, y me vi en muchos de los diálogos de Ben, exhausto por no conseguir nada. Es uno de los problemas más grandes que hay en el mundo de hoy, y aunque son escenas cargadas de humor negro, la frustración es palpable.
https://tintanocturna.blogspot.com/2022/02/comic-chefs-kiss.html

Good morning, beautiful people. I hope you're in the mood for a comic that's as funny as it is cute, and a light dose of drama. I've wanted to read something about the life of recent college graduates for a long time, so I didn't think twice when I came across Chef's Kiss, by Jarrett Melendez. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley!
The story is quite simple: we meet Ben and his group of friends when they start looking for a job after finishing their studies, which I love. Looking for work is ridiculously traumatic, and I saw myself in many of Ben's dialogues, exhausted from achieving nothing. It is one of the biggest problems in the world today, and although they are scenes full of black humor, the frustration is palpable.
https://tintanocturna.blogspot.com/2022/02/comic-chefs-kiss.html

Trigger Warnings: Drinking, throw-up, drugs

Representation: Gay, Black

Chef’s Kiss is a graphic novel about Ben, a recent grad who has to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. While his parents insist that he uses his new writing degree, Ben struggles to find work until he lands an opportunity at a vegan restaurant. Over the next few weeks, Ben must compete to earn the position, lie to his parents, and figure out what he wants in life, all while working next to a very handsome man!

This book was so cute! I love the simplicity of graphic novels while they still balance a full story and in depth characters! I really enjoyed the storyline and the “fantasy-esque” feel with the inner fairy and the pig origin story. The story is sweet and sincere, with humor thrown in along the way. I love a happy ending and was glad to see Ben and Liam finally kiss. I felt the characters as a whole brought a very mature light, despite Ben and his roommates being recent grads. I also loved the development with Ben’s confidence. The story felt real and relatable for anyone who has gone through that after college phase. I thought the illustrations were on point and really brought a lot to the plot.

Thankyou so much for the eARC of this graphic novel from Netgalley and Oni Press.

An LGBTQ+ graphic novel with the food and illustrations giving it a Ratatouille vibe. The characters are all fun and have so much depth and personality, that it makes this a fun enjoyable fluffy read.

The pig is also a very cute addition - participating in the story was just like how you'd expect from a classic tv anime.

An incredible read about a man trying to choose the right path for him, with pressure from his parents, encouragement from his friends and the hot sous chef that he likes. Also a pig who is the restaurant taster, who also causes trouble. Will he make the right decision to make himself happy and not for everyone else??

A entertaining, funny, emotional, romantic read that I highly recommend. Also the drawings of the food looks delicious and will certainly make your stomach grumble. You may even try out some yourself.

Would you trust a Watson the pig to judge your food?

This is a gorgeous graphic novel that touches on the uncertainty and lack of direction for many new grads post-college. The illustrations are beautiful and the storyline is cute and sweet, with just enough touch of silly. The characters are fun, and this is altogether just a fun and enjoyable, fluffy read.

I received an eARC of this title through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I genuinely enjoyed this graphic novel. I like how it touches on themes of living for yourself and what makes you happy instead of living up to your parents' expectations. Ben is a great example of leaving college, having a degree, and struggling to get a job using said degree because he has "no experience". Not to mention his parents are constantly on him about getting a job. He does what most of us in this situation does, gets a job to pay the bills until he finds a job where he can use his degree.

However, Ben starts to enjoy his "in between" job more than expected. He loves to cook and becoming a chef in an eccentric restaurant slowly becomes something he didn't know he loved. It also helps there's a very attractive chef who is super nice to him and takes him under his shoulder.

I think this book is a must read / must have in your library. It tells the story of life after college when your friends seem to be living their dreams while you may be stuck. I highly recommend this title.

Chef's Kiss, by Jarrett Melendez, is a coming-of-age graphic novel about a new college graduate named Ben, who moves into an apartment with 3 of his closest friends as he tries to navigate the world of job hunting. As he goes to job interviews with his resume in hand, he quickly learns that he needs job experience to get a job with his degree, even when it's an entry-level position. After an afternoon of fruitless job hunting, Ben happens upon a restaurant in need of a chef. Down on his luck and in desperate need to feel like he isn't a failure, Ben goes inside, where he meets Liam, a handsome sous chef. As Ben fights to prove himself in the professional world, he also has to deal with the disapproval of his parents, and the growing pressure he feels from watching his peers succeed.
As someone new to reading the graphic novel format, I found this storyline to be creative and fun. The art was well done; colorful and detailed. I did have some difficulty following the dialog but again, as someone new to this format, I'm still learning how to navigate it. I did find the storyline with Watson to be a bit odd at first but it did add a fun element to an otherwise serious storyline. On a negative note, I will say that I was disappointed by the lack of romance. The romance ended up being more of a side plot, which would've been fine but the title of the graphic novel is Chef's Kiss, and with Liam introduced fairly early, I thought this was going to be a queer romance-centered story, which it was not. Despite that, I found the story to be incredibly entertaining and relatable. I was caught off guard that although it is a graphic novel, there were still some great conversations to be had on the experiences of fresh college graduates and how getting a job straight from college isn't always the feat to accomplish.

A cute new adult comic talking about the trouble of getting your first job with no experience and discovering what you want to become. Because of the cover I kind of expected a little fantasy/supernatural, but no. A very adorable, if predictable romance, but that will talk to people who are about to step into the working world, or just took that big leap after uni or are feeling as if they just haven't found their way just yet.
Not quite for me, I'm not in that age group anymore, and I'm not a romance reader. I love foodie books though, so I thought it would talk to me... but not really either. I found it a little annoying how this guy who spends his life in books can suddenly cook better than people who have studied cooking and spent their lives improving that art. It felt a little disrespectful to people of the industry, suggesting that anyone could do it within a week and belittled their training. I'm sure that wasn't the spirit of the book, but it just came across like that to me...
The colours are beautiful, in soft pastel tones and lots of blushing, the illustrations are a little too classic comix for my taste, but lots of people love that clean style so I'm sure many disagree with me and find it very clear and easy to read.

This was such a fun graphic novel! The art was amazing. I appreciate seeing confused postgrads in media as someone who was confused after university, this is such a needed perspective in media.

Ben was such a fun and relatable character and I loved following his story. His relationship with his friends was great to see and I loved seeing them interact. I also enjoyed his budding romance with Liam but I love that it wasn’t the centre of the story, time was spent equally on Ben’s friendships, his post graduation anxiety and his passion for making food.

I enjoyed Chef’s Kiss, it exceeded my expectations and I would love to see more from the artists.

TW:
Overbearing parents
Homophobia (minor)

This was really cute! I really enjoyed watching Ben learn things in the kitchen. I enjoyed Ben's friendships. Liam was the perfect love interest. I hour that Ben's parents come around. Great art and plot!

I really enjoyed reading this! It was sweet, fun, and had me laughing as well. I find that I sometimes pick up graphic novels and don’t feel very immersed in the story, but that wasn’t the case here. Great characters (Ben and Liam are the best) and one awesome pig. If you’re looking for a light read that will give you smiles and feels, this is for you.

3.75 stars.

This was a really cute graphic novel about Ben Cook, a new graduate who needs to find a job ASAP who, despite being unable to find a job related to his degree, is given a shot at a restaurant. During his time at Le Cochon Doré, he is faced with several challenges and finds himself falling for one of his mentors and becoming more distant from his initially desired career path.

This book makes it really easy to root for Ben as he learns how to improve his culinary skills. I really loved the characters, especially his friends Liz, Rachel, and Tom! Oh, and gosh, it was a bit silly but I just LOVED Watson. And thought he was just a wonderful addition to the book. I do wish that there was a little bit more of the romance, mostly because I wanted to see more of this blossoming relationship. I did really love Liam's character and how supportive he was. I thought this was really cute and would like to read more from the author in the future!

CW: emotional abuse, homophobia.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, author, and illustrators (cover and main book) for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

CWs: Homophobia, emotionally abusive parents

Actually a 4.5 stars

This graphic novel is simply FANTASTIC!

The story of being a graduate unable to get a job in your field is extremely relatable and I empathised so much with what Ben was going through.

I really loved the dynamics that Ben had with all of his friends and they were all fully developed with their own lives, goals and motivations.

The relationship between Ben and Liam developed beautifully and they were absolutely ADORABLE

The art was fantastic, I loved the colouring and the food looked mouthwateringly good

Overall this was a really cute graphic novel and i could definitely see this as a fantastic movie

A queer new adult romance revolving around food? Sign me up!

This was really sweet! It was my first graphic novel in a good while and it made me want to read more. It was very feel-good with little conflict: perfect if you're looking for a comfort read. I particularly resonated with the "recently graduated and looking for a job" aspect of the story since I'm about to experience the same thing and seeing people go through these trials (especially parental insistence) helps.

I also really enjoyed the style of the artist, it was really nice to look at throughout the novel.

It was a little difficult to read as an e-graphic novel since I much prefer them on paperback instead of having to scroll and zoom to follow. But that's a personal preference more than anything!

Don't hesitate to pick this up when it publishes on March 1st.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an Advanced Reader's Copy!

ーFirst of all, thank you NetGalley and OniPress for giving me the opportunity to read and review this graphic novel.

A fun, adorably drawn, and lighthearted queer read? yes 👏 if any of this ticks your box, this graphic novel might be for you.
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Ben, an English graduate who is just looking for a job related to his field of study and what he wanted to do, only to come to a realisation after many amounts of interviews that he simply does not have enough experience. He later stumbles upon a Now Hiring- No experience needed sign in front of a restaurant and decided to go for it. And that is how Ben's journey begins.
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I think this book, as much as it was lighthearted, it is also relatable. You need the experience to get a job but you need a job to get experience. Some may say, volunteering is an experience but that can’t be said for every field.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that it was a new adult story.
There's so much to love in this story from the friendship to the romance to the illustrations. All of it was wonderful.
And I really loved Watson; he stole the book.

This was so insanely cute! If you love queer reads and also love food then this is a book for you. The illustration was also absolutely stunning!

Page one of this comic will immediately have you hooked. Through the artwork, dialogue and use of ‘character cards’, you’ll instantly feel connected to these characters and have a solid idea of who they are and what they’re like.

Most Impressive are the laugh out loud moments within this comic. Writing and illustrating comedy successfully is a difficult skill that the team who created this have in spades! These comedic moments are largely drawn from the introduction of surrealist elements, for example, ‘fairy’ Liz standing on Ben’s shoulder whispering in his ear, peeks into Ben’s imagination and of course Watson and his ‘origin story’. All of which contribute to this incredibly funny comic filled with loveable characters.

Ben – our lead character – has just graduated from college and is at a crossroads when facing what to do next. His experience is one that is relatable to everyone, not just the university graduate. The pressure we all face to decide what to do with our lives is a constant one that comes from all angles, be that ourselves, our families, or society.

One particularly relatable quote for me from Ben:

“...Why won’t anyone hire me? I’ve done everything I’m supposed to do. Study. Get good grades, do extracurriculars… And for what?”

The exploration of this concept of feeling rudderless and like you’ve done all you can but the deck is still stacked against you was really well done. Showing the sadness and disappointment that can bring alongside the positives that can come of it.
In Ben’s example, he’s open to anything after finding himself ‘not experienced enough’ for the career path he had planned for, this openness is what leads him to the restaurant that brings him so much joy.

My only issues with this comic were the pacing and the inconsistent use of swearing.

I felt as though it started really strong, slowed down a great deal in the middle and then sped up to a very quick, almost rushed, resolution in which I didn’t feel Ben actually made enough of a decision. It was all wrapped up nicely with an HEA, however it felt slightly too easy to me personally. Particularly because decision making is clearly such an integral theme of the story.

The inconsistent use of swearing is an odd note to have and not necessarily an issue. I just found it slightly jarring as I was reading that sometimes characters would be censored using punctuation and other times there would be no censorship. There may be a reason for this that I am unaware of, however, I would personally prefer if they just chose one way or the other.

The love story was incredibly sweet and moved through those initial stages of a relationship smoothly. There’s a healthy dose of mutual pining and you’re rooting for them from day one.

Interestingly the art style is not what I’m usually drawn too, leaning further towards the side of the ‘classic’ comic book style. However I absolutely adored it here. Each character and environment had their own unique palette that pulled you into this solid, existing world.
I’ve never read a ‘foody’ romance before, however I can see how this sub-genre shines in a visual format as the pages of Ben cooking were some of my favourites. Be warned though, it may make you hungry!
(Liam also reminded me of the visual novel game ‘Dream Daddy’, which is never a bad thing!)

Overall I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience a romantic coming of age story featuring laugh out loud moments, beautiful artwork and loveable characters.

(Loveable characters who’s own love stories I would HAPPILY read, if the author is sees this!)

I will be sharing this review to my Storygraph account on the same day this is uploaded to Netgalley: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/katierose_reads

And an abbreviated version will be shared to my Instagram on the 1st of March to coincide with the release date: https://www.instagram.com/katierose_reads/

One practical note for Netgalley only. I don't know if this has been corrected in the final version.
On page 123 of the PDF in the final panel. I believe the speech bubbles for Ben and Liam have been swapped as the dialogue does not make sense/it reads as though Ben is responding to his own question from the previous panel.

This was cute and sweet, I loved the art, and all the cooking! I wish it had even more fully embraced its more ludicrous elements (like everything around that pig).

Chef's Kiss was one of my most anticipated graphic novel releases this year and it did not disappoint. It was—to make the obvious joke—chef's kiss.

The book follows Ben, a young man in his early twenties who has just graduated with an English degree and is on the hunt for a job. As someone who has been in that situation—English degree and all—I felt like it was portrayed so well. It was just really refreshing to read a New Adult story that grappled with the seemingly mundane things we have to deal with as we progress into our twenties.

As Ben's job search continues he begins to feel desperate and applies for a job as a chef at a local restaurant. There he falls in love with cooking—and a fellow chef—and begins to question whether a writing career was ever the right choice for him, or if he just did it because it was what his parents wanted. His internal struggle was really well written and I think the only thing that bothered me was the conflict it leads to with his best friend. That fight felt kind of forced and I think focusing instead on his relationship with his parents might have been a better move.

Additionally, I sometimes wished more time had been spent exploring relationships instead of cooking food. Especially in a lot of the scenes where Ben was cooking with Liam. It felt like Liam was just telling Ben how to cook while Ben gave him heart eyes, and was a missed opportunity for them to communicate more and grow closer.

All that being said I still really loved this graphic novel. I thought the art was lovely and I enjoyed Ben's journey into the culinary world. While the book is called "Chef's Kiss" I felt like the romance wasn't really the main focus and was pretty slow burn—not that I'm complaining, lol. But it could be argued that the true "kiss" of this book is simply Ben falling in love with cooking and finding a career that feels right.

Rep: gay MC & SC, BIPOC SCs
TWs: alcohol consumption & some references to minor drug use, overbearing/bullying parents, unemployment

eARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.