This is a sweet graphic novel about Ben Cook who starts working at a restaurant. Ben has just finished college and can't find anything he's qualified for. When he sees a help wanted sign outside of the restaurant, he applies on a whim. Turns out Ben is a much better cook than expected and begins to love the worth. It also helps that one of the fellow chef's, Liam, is "super dreamy".

**I received an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**
I don’t usually read graphic novels, but I LOVED this one! Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez is a queer romantic comedy that follows the main character, Ben, and his three roommates as they adjust to the “real world” post-college graduation. There’s romance, existential queries, family and friendship relationship navigation, comedy, and more.
Illustrator Danica Brine does a fabulous job with the art, and there are so many engaging elements to the storyline. Such a fun, quick read. I read it in a single setting! Highly recommend!

*I received an advance readers copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Chef’s Kiss was exactly that a *chef’s kiss. It was such a lighthearted, fast paced graphics novel that I devoured in less than two hours. It’s only 125 pages, but that does not mean the quality is less. The graphics in this novel are absolutely stunning.

I’ll be honest, I haven’t read a graphic novel in quite some time, so at the beginning i had to really remember the basics left -> right reading and it took me a second to catch on to the flow of the dialogue, but that was defiantly all me and not the novel in the slightest. After a few pages, I was fully able to emerge myself into the plot of this story and it was absolutely just adorable.

There was no massive problems, just a cute little story. 100% would recommend if you are looking for a super cute short story involving LGTBQ+ love and a super cute meet cute :) ALSO, how can you not love the supper cute quirkiness of the story? I mean Watson, who is a pig, is the taste tester that stands between Ben getting this job haha. I loved it!

This was a really gorgeous graphic novel I would highly recommend to anyone who likes food! I hadnt heard of the author before but will defeintely look out for more from them.

Graduating from college with a not very marketable degree in an oversaturated industry is a struggle more and more of Gen Z seems to face. Chef’s Kiss is a graphic novel that addresses the quarter-life crisis of this generation of new graduates under the guise of a romance novel. Don’t let the title or synopsis fool you. There is a cute, sideline romance between recent college graduate Ben and his co-worker Liam at the restaurant he is hired on at when Ben fails to find a copy writing job to put his degree towards. But this book is much more focused on Ben’s inner turmoil between the pressure from his parents to find a job in his field of study or dedicate his time to the love he discovers he has for cooking.

Ben himself feels a bit more like an outline of a person than a fully fleshed-out character. This may have been the point in his design - to resonate with an audience facing similar struggles. But his motivations also seem to swing wildly as the plot needed, showing no interest at all in cooking before he stumbles into his restaurant job. He’s able to craft elaborate dishes with nuanced flavor combinations that earns him the grudging respect of his boss with very little training at all. Cooking isn’t a talent, it’s a skill. And I had to suspend more disbelief here than I did for the pig who lives at the restaurant and dictates who gets hired or fired accordingly.

Graphic novels need to be efficient in their storytelling, especially stories that are told in only a single volume. I do feel that in terms of actual plot here, Chef’s Kiss loses a lot of focus in the last half where a seemingly inconsequential yoga session somehow acts as Ben’s final push to set aside his plans to put his English degree to use professionally and instead pivot to dedicate himself to his restaurant job. This potentially life-changing decision is given a montage of him sitting around in his apartment, ignoring phone calls from his parents and co-workers like this was a healthy way to cope with this unarguably stressful situation.

Qualms about the plotting of the story itself aside, I love Danica Brine’s art as it was used here. It’s a style that is both very approachable and yet unique enough to create distinctive designs for each character. The diversity of the supporting cast - though there’s maybe something to be said about these characters only being supporting - we’re all illustrated with as much care and nuance as Ben and his love interest Liam.

Overall, I wish this book had leaned in more towards either its new adult, coming-of-age story themes or the romance it decided to never fully commit to. And I would recommend this more for those looking for the former. In the end, Chef's Kiss was a cute if not somewhat forgettable take on finding a place at a crossroads that so many in their early 20’s are now facing.

SWEET, CUTE AND FUNNY

I got pretty much everything I was expecting with this comic - I got some good laughs, a lighthearted story with some deeper issues and a sweet LGBTQ romance. Definitely recommend this to anyone looking to spend a few hours in good company.

👍 What I Liked 👍

Characters: There was not a single character that I disliked (except for Ben's parents, but they play a minor part and are supposed to be unlikable). Each character had their own well-developed characteristic, which made them well-rounded and relatable in each their own way. I liked that they all had a particular idiosyncrasy, often something quirky such as talking as if they were a Shakespearean character. They were adorable and funny, the lot of them!

Fun: The humour of this comic is definitely derived from the amazing, quirky characters! They each had their own thing, which just worked so well for me.

Relatable: Finding your way in life after school is something many new adults can relate to - and that is the central theme of this comic. The main cast of characters each struggle with this in one way or another, especially Ben who grabbles with reconciling his own passion as with the expectations of his parents. I found it very relatable and moving.

Chef’s Kiss was such a fun and fluffy graphic novel, so much so that I didn’t put it down once. I read the entire thing in one sitting and the pages really flew by. Obviously, there wasn’t a ton of pages because this is a graphic novel, but it didn’t seem like time was moving whilst reading. I was so engrossed.

The art style is definitely what drew me to Chef’s Kiss and also the promise of delicious-looking food. I would go as far to say that it is one of my favourite art styles I’ve ever seen. Every character was distinct and you could really get a feel for who they were just by their appearance.

With that being said I really loved every character. As well as distinct looks they also had very distinct personalities. The main character; Ben’s group of friends were a ton of fun and honestly, I would love to see an entire series from them.

Honestly, I don’t have anything bad to say about Chef’s Kiss. The storyline was a little wacky at times, but that’s something I really enjoyed about it. Who doesn’t want to read a story about a restaurant where a pig decides if the food is good or not? Absolutely brilliant.

Speaking of the pig, Watson was by far my favourite character. Firstly because he is adorable and secondly because of his hilarious backstory. Which obviously is not made up in the slightest *note my obvious sarcasm*

My last thought on Chef’s Kiss is how perfectly it encapsulates the experience of just leaving college/university. The journey of Ben looking for a graduate job, and not being sure of what he actually wants to do, is one that will resonate with a lot of young people right now. Myself included.
Basically, Chef’s Kiss is super fun and cute and you need to check it out right now, trust me.

I'm in love with that cover! The contents didn't deliver what I was expecting, however, with the realistic and whimsical elements not quite meshing. On the positive side, Ben and his friends (both housemates and restaurant mates) are people I'd read a whole series about — quirky, interesting new adults and young professionals who are dealing with age-appropriate situations and struggles with some whimsical weirdness thrown in. Now I'm not saying the chef and his taste-testing pig weren't whimsically weird (and, in the case of the pig, hella cute), but...I just wasn't a fan. Even without the over-the-top, taste-testing pig, the chef and the whole trial testing thing were uncomfortable. Overall, it's not a style and story that works well for me, but I think plenty of other readers, especially new adult and YA readers who are looking for sweet LGBTQ rom-com content, will be like it. (Let's be honest: Ben and Liam are incredibly cute and easy to root for.)

CHEF'S KISS was, in a word, sweet. Pun perhaps fully intended. I could absolutely relate to and identify with Ben's struggles. I really appreciated how the graphic novel captured that terrifying and uncertain time in your twenties—the pressure to know exactly what to do with your life and how to accomplish it, while still finding time for everything else.

Where the plot itself lost me a bit was the structure of the restaurant environment. Restaurants can be extremely toxic workplaces, which I know firsthand, but Chef was...a tad over the top for my personal taste. And while an adorable addition, Watson did leave me a smidge...puzzled.

That said, the illustrations were so, so beautiful! I love the artist's style, and I think it worked very well to tell Melendez's story—which I wish were longer, because this felt like an appetizer before the main course (especially for the romance!)

A cute and flavorful story about taking a stand for who you want to be, even when everyone expects you to follow a different path. The romance is incredibly adorable, the food looks delicious, and the pig is my favorite character. Centers post-college characters, but reads as more YA than New Adult.

** free ARC given in exchange for an honest review.

This good felt like a sweet story about an lgbt+ male fresh out of school who is trying to find themselves. The illustrations beautifully visualize the story.

OMG I LOVEEEEE this!!! It was so cute and hilarious and the descriptions of food were amazing!!😍
Also Liam is soooo hot,🥵 and I loved being inside Ben's head:) 🥰
His friends were so cool and I loved how they were so supportive of him in whatever he did.

I saw many of my fears in what Ben faced with the job interviews and it was kinda scary coz that fear is smthg that has been in my mind for the past few months. But hopefully it will work out like it did with Ben:)

PLEASE READ THIS!! It will put a HUGE smile on your face and will prob make you smile every time you think of the book:) I don't think I have laughed this much since I read the love hypothesis.(another of my favs) So if my review doesn't convince you I hope at least this will.😁

My fav character from the book is Watson!! Such a great actor too hehe
Highly recommend this!

(Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book.)

The story is about Ben, a graduate who's looking for a job. Alas, he can't find one, until he stumbles on a restaurant called Le Cochon Doré, which is looking to hire without experience. Ben quickly meets Liam, who is *yummy*. The Head Chef offers him a deal: three weeks, one challenge per week. If the official tester (a lovely pig called Watson. Yes, you read that right, a pig.) loves the meals prepared by Ben, he can stay! Torn between his old friends, his new ones, his parents, his career in writing and his sudden love for cooking, Ben will have to go out of his comfort zone to find himself and what he truly wants.

Book type: comic, romance, lgbtq+

pace: medium-fast (and yet, we know everything that we need to know!)

storyline: ★★★★★
This book was incredibly relatable and down-to-earth. The characters are well-developed, even the secondary ones. I was hooked from the very first page. I like how we see the different types of interaction between the characters, that was well put.

characters: ★★★★★
As said previously, we get to learn enough about each character that they all have their importance. I thought the differences in personality were well established and balanced.

character development:★★★★✩
I can only hope we'll see more! Hence the 4 stars out of five. I could've taken 10 books within this saga. Already excited for the next one! But still, our MC, Ben, went through noticeable changes and it was fluid, not rushed. We still have some place to grow!

writing: ★★★★✩
Sometimes the bubbles feel visually overwhelming, but I think that's just maybe I'm not used to comics. However, I thought every exchange was purposeful and gave us a good feel of what the characters were going through.

diversity: ★★★★★
Not too much 'in your face' that it feels like a bad marketing coup. Some authors make me feel like they have a diversity check-off list and they just check things off along the way to make sure their book is 'trendy'. This was not the case! It was genuine diversity.

attention to detail: ★★★★★
Love the drawings! The color schemes were really nice too. I noticed the use of yellow and blue to reflect how Ben's feeling.

ending: ★★★★★
LOVED IT. So sweet! I hope there's more coming!

originality: ★★★★✩
It's a regular setting for a romance, a nice kitchen and a hot chef, however, the way we get to the kitchen was original.

Will I be reading the next book? Absolutely.

(Review to come on instagram.)

This was both adorable, and fluffy, and hit close to home with the topics. The novel starts off with a character fresh out of uni, looking for a job, and struggling. The job market is hard, especially for people with arts degrees. Reading that as a humanities major hit close to home.
However, as the story progresses and you meet The characters (especially Watson) are to-die-for adorable. I don’t think I stopped smiling. I absolutely adored every second of this!!

3.5 stars
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Chef's Kiss is a really cute and wholesome graphic novel. The drawing style was very pleasant and made everything seem cutesy but still realistic. This book brought up some interesting conversations around friendship, being young and being lost as well as parents expectations. Also it had a nice little side romance between two guys and an adorable food critic piggy so it's a good time

tags: m/m relationship, coming of age story, finding one's path, found family aspect
content warning: the mc feels a lot of pressure from his parents and their expectations

Just when I thought it would be a mushy story about a guy pining for another guy… ALL THE FOOD COMES OUT!!!
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My Rating : 4/5 😄star 🌟🌟🌟🌟
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This book follows Ben Cook, an English major who doesn’t know what he wants to do with his life and his realization as to what makes him happy. . The way Ben’s character was written was realistic and resonated with real life so much aka me when I just finished college. The group of friends had a really good rapport with each other, and their conversations and encouragement was adorable. Also, can we talk about all the food that was mentioned in this book?? I legit got hungry after reading this book. Liam was a cute love interest, but I liked this story for Ben’s character development and not for the romance in it. Do you know who my favourite character was? Watson. If you know, you know.
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THAT ART-STYLE WAS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!! Every Colour, every stroke was impressive and I think it definitely made me enjoy the story better! The subtle humour and a character called Watson gives the story a lightness I wasn’t expecting. (Which was definitely a plus )Liam and Ben were cute together, which was an added bonus. Liz was such a bae, and I loved their friendship so much. As far as the character development goes, Ben is my absolute favourite and I loved his character.
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Overall, I think this is a really cute graphic novel that talks about life after college, the reality of job searching, doing something you actually love for the first time, AND some cute workplace queer romance to pick you up. If you want something inspiring yet light, definitely pick this up!
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Thank you Netgalley for the gifted review copy!
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Book 37 - January 2022 / Arc/ Kindle
Tags : Graphic Novels, Coming of Age, MM Romance, Feel Good Books

This was a fun and easy read that left the reader encouraged to follow your dream. The pig was probably my favorite character. Can’t wait to get this in the hands of more people.

Super quick read. Really enjoyed the character growth and development. Characters were easy to relate to. Enjoyed this book!

This super sweet and witty quick-read graphic novel addresses an important challenge that a lot of recent graduates face when trying to find a job in their field. Sometimes the unexpected path turns out to be the right one. I loved the beautiful art, the discussions that take place, and the subtle romance between Ben and Liam.

Thank you Oni Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

i'm not one to give a five star easily, but this was an immediate 5/5

one thing i always find difficult with graphic novels is that connecting to the characters (since you're not reading their thoughts) is more difficult, but this book went above and beyond that. characters that had very little 'screen-time' were drawn and characterised so clearly that you remembered their name and everything about you. this book was both beautifully endearing escapism and extremely relatable--a romantic image of life after college where you don't quite know how to translate a degree into a real life job.

seeing the main character chase after this newfound cooking dream despite how it may not be the career he (or his parents) intended for him. seeing his friends all chase after new dreams, developing code for new apps and instructing yoga classes, was so sweet and made me want to find a friend group exactly like this. the romance was sweet and natural--liam was drawn like a disney prince and it was really sweet to see ben all flustered about it. the watson the pig plot line was adorable and the cooking in this book was overall phenomenal; someone make me ricotta filled squash flowers thank you.

there were so many wholesome, heartwarming moments in this novel and i highly recommend it to absolutely everyone!

(also i'm hoping that rachel and emilia get a spin-off because there was something there, i swear)