Over five stars! This was such a perfect coming-of-age story for those of us new adults with no idea what life is about. Watson is officially my new favorite character from anything. Each character gets screen time and a moment to shine in a way that makes the story so well-rounded. I loved the integration of the roommates into the main storyline. It felt completely seamless. Everything this book should have had was there and I could not be more satisfied. Funny, sappy, fluffy, and full of love. Definitely a new favorite you HAVE to pick up!!!

I really enjoy that kind of coming of age story, where the character is trying to figure out what he's suppose to do after college, when all of his friends have already everything mapped out (or almost mapped out). The relashionship between all the character felt quite genuine, and the way conflict and change were brough was quite sensitive as well. I wish we would have recipes for the meal they are cooking, because as a veggie, I would love to get to cook some of those ! It was a sweet story, quite funny at times, and let's be honest Watson was definitely the best character !!!

This was a super cute story that I thoroughly enjoyed- friendship, new romance and the most adorable taste-testing pig!

I justwish it had been a lot longer as I felt certain parts were rushed and there was one particular conflict that felt very out of proportion and had me realising the book had taken place over a longer time than I realised. But other than that I did enjoy every part of this book and thought the romance was super adorable and realistic.

Overall this was a short, easy read with some great art and lovely moments. Definitely one I will be reading again!

It was a sweet story of a young man trying to decide what to do with his life after uni. Ben Cook cannot find a job after his English degree, while his friends are planning their careers, so he takes a temporary job in a restaurant with a taciturn boss, a great looking chef and a pig with amazing culinary tastes... Silly, funny and yet full of meaningful insights into a search for a right career path, "Chef's Kiss" was a great story with enjoyable and weird storyline and loveable characters (plus the art by Danica Brine which I really liked). But I thought it was far too short, as it ended up a bit abruptly, so I hope the authors are already working on a part two. PS. Massive plus for a pig. I absolutley loved Watson.

Arc was given by Oni Press & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This review is being published before the release date (March 1st 2022)


Content/Trigger Warnings: Stress about unemployment, depictions of aggression, pressure and guilt trips from overbearing parents, manipulation attempts from overbearing parents, subtle homophobia


Oh my goodness, I didn’t think I would push this review out right away, but oh, sweet friends, I adore this graphic novel and I had to come shout about it from the roof tops! I adore this graphic novel so, so much. It’s charming, pure, and will leave you on the edge of your seat, waiting for what’s about to happen next. There’s so much good in this book and honestly, this is probably my favorite graphic novel that hasn’t been released yet. Hands down, a new favorite of mine.

Chef’s Kiss follows our main character, Ben Cook, who’s recently graduated college, moved in with his best friends, and now finds himself struggling to find a job. With overbearing parents breathing down his neck, Ben is feeling the claws of defeat, frustration, but mostly, unemployment scraping at his walls. When his eighteenth interview doesn’t go as plan, Ben stumbles upon a hiring sign for a restaurant and suddenly, the future is looking a lot brighter… and conflicting.

“It’s a tale as old as time. You’re falling in love for your mentor!”

Truly, with my whole chest, I can’t say enough how I loved the cast of characters (except you, Ben’s parents). The cast of main and the side characters are so diverse with BIPOC characters, different professions, and a plethora of personalities. And despite his aggressive tendencies, I actually like Chef Davis with his banter and his love for the taste testing pig, Watson. Yes, you heard me correctly, taste-testing pig. And the fact that Watson has his own personality and a mischievous side to him just fills my heart with so much euphoria.

I think one of the things I truly loved the most about this graphic novel is the friendship Ben has with all of his roommates. What made me love these friendships the most was how the author displayed how messy friendships can be, but also the healthy side of friendships, where you address the issues that have happened or where someone was being a not so good friend and work through it. Every time I see healthy friendships in a any kind of book, I get all soft and mushy inside. And I really loved the support this group of friends have one another despite the hard moments that happen.

This graphic novel addresses what it means to be someone fresh out of college, looking for work and not having experience. How frustrating, tiring, and stressful it can be especially when you’re trying to carve your own path as an adult. It’s also about doing what’s best for you and asking yourself “what do you want” instead of constantly catering to what everyone else wants especially when it comes to our own personal happiness. I really appreciated how beautifully and realistically the author wove these themes into the story. It felt so real and I know for my case, these themes were something that weighted heavy on me. So seeing that being represented in a graphic novel was such a big thing especially you don’t see them shown in literature that often.

Of course, I have to gush about the art and the illustrations. If the cover of this book hasn’t sunk it’s claws into yet, wait till you actually open this graphic novel. It’s simply stunning. At times it reminded me of other graphic novels I’ve read. I think that’s why I was so easily captured by the art because every time I see this art style, I know I’m going to fall in love.

Overall, I’m just really in love with this graphic novel. I don’t think I could make it any more simple. I truly, most ardently, love this graphic novel. I wasn’t kidding when I said this was going to be one of my favorite reads. 2022 never looked brighter and I can’t wait for more readers to pick this graphic novel up.


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

An absolute delight! Stunning art and a charming story about finding yourself, and love, in the kitchen. I enjoyed every single page!

This book is as adorable as the cover and synopsis makes it seem. I really loved the art style, and how diverse the characters were. At first I wasn't sure I would like it, but it is a great graphic novel, and I cannot wait to read either the next volume, or more from this author. The art style especially is gorgeous, and there is so many details, even the little details matter.
I will definitely be recommending this to customers and to my friends alike. Thank you for the advance reader's copy. I am glad I was given the chance to review this, and enjoy it!

Sometimes you just need a wholesome queer graphic novel to brighten your days and, if so, Chef's Kiss is a great option. The illustrations were darling, the story light and fluffy, with great romantic chemistry. It's also really nice to see a coming-of-age story in an adult novel.

4.5 Stars!

This was the most adorable, sweet, queer graphic novel, and at the same time, so weird. (Watson the food critic pig!) I feel like there was some not so subtle messaging with that one. Haha! I really related to Ben in this story. I too kind of fell into food as a career and it definitely wasn't the plan in college. The art style is really fun and well done!

Chef's Kiss is a lovely graphic novel following Ben, a recent college graduate struggling with getting a job and scared of disappointing his parents. After lots and lots of rejections in his field due to his lack of experience, Ben encounters a 'help wanted' sign in a restaurant. Ben applies for the job and has to pass three challenges in order to be hired. With every challenge, Ben starts to be more and more excited for the job at the restaurant. And the cute sous-chef is a nice bonus as well...

I LOVED this graphic novel. I think this is the first graphic novel I will reread, and I will most definitely buy a physical copy of this novel! It's so wholesome and the side characters truly rock as well.

The artstyle is beautiful as well! It seems like a mix of 'graphic novel' and 'comic book', if that makes sense. It probably only makes sense in my head, but oh well... ANYHOW. The art style is lovely. That's what I wanted to say.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love this graphic novel. The artstyle, the characters, Ben's development, all of it. I don't believe there will be a sequel, but I need it and I need it now.

This is a totally adorable graphic novel about Ben, a recent college graduate who has always wanted to be a writer. But when he struggles to get a job in the field, he goes for anything he can. This ends up being a no experience necessary job in a restaurant. He has always loved to cook, but has never thought of that as a career. As he works through the challenges, he finds that he does truly love the job, the staff, and even the pig!

I really loved this! There was lots of description in terms of the cooking, which I thought was awesome! There was a lot of background plot as well with his friends, as well as his parents. I did want more romance! What there was was ADORABLE, and I hope there is a follow up to this! The art was amazing as well, I loved the colors and the style.

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

This book was a delight from start to finish. So stinking heartwarming and wholesome! And the nostalgia was in full effect -- when you're fumbling through your midlife, it's fun to be reminded of what it was like to be young and just venturing out into the world. I loved every little bit of it, from Vlad the Inhaler to Watson the Pig and all the characters in between. Ugh, so great. <3

What a sweet and charming graphic novel! It’s a tender story about taking chances, finding new passions, pushing back on expectations, and chosen family. I thoroughly enjoyed the art style and characters. It would make a great series focused on the different people in the friend group. Will be recommending!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
This cute slice of life graphic novel follows young ben, freshly out of college stuck in the quagmire of millennial job-searching. In an all too familiar turn his interviews all tank because of the old entry-level job, experience required bait and switch. Because of this he turns to the a job as a cook to pay the bills, and possibly finds himself along the way.
I found this book to be very enjoyable! The art style sits comfortably between a classic comic-style and the graphic novel style, and the story did not take on too much to fulfill. The author smartly kept the character list relatively small and fleshed out the ones most important to the story. I personally loved the chef, a big burly man with a love of small animals? Sign me up. The romance was a nice touch, and did not take away from the main plot of the story.
Would recommend for sure!

So cute! I love that it's a book that focuses on a character who just graduated college. As a fellow twentysomething, I wish there were more books like that. Will be buying a print copy once available

"Chef's Kiss" is an absolutely adorable tale about a recent college graduate trying to sort out what her wants from life while unexpectedly becoming a chef.

I adored this book so much! The art style is breathtaking and so detailed that it was able to tell parts of the story without any words at all. Ben was a truly likeable main character who I was rooting for from the very first page. I found his friend group to all be really likeable as well. I thought the story did a really great job portraying what it's like to graduate college and not know what you want to do with the rest of your life while seeing everyone else around you "succeeding". I related to ben a lot because I too was an English major who struggled to find a job after I graduated college. I loved the romance, I thought it was just really cute and wholesome. I also enjoyed that all the characters spoke and acted their age. It was an honest portrayal of live for millennials. I can't wait to own a physical copy of this book so i can read it over and over again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this e-arc of "Chef's Kiss" in exchange for an honest review.

As a 20-something pretty freshly graduated myself, I initially found Ben incredibly relatable. I still remember the fresh panic of graduating with few to no job prospects in your field. The love of books and of cooking endeared him to me pretty immediately as well, although unfortunately, that fondness didn't last for the whole story.

Ben is well intentioned, but is otherwise a very self-assured and kind of horny main character. It might genuinely just be my demisexual self coming off of several books that also feature ace spectrum characters, but a lot of the attraction seemed to just be there as a method of distracting the main character from conversation, and proving as initial motivation to apply for the job. I rooted for him to find his way, but not for much more than that.

That being said for the horniness, the actual romance almost doesn't exist on page. We get, on page, a sort of date where they hang out and talk (presumably), a night of drinks, and an afternoon together in the kitchen. I enjoyed the friendships much more significantly.

Watson the pig was refreshingly comic book in an otherwise nice and perfectly contemporary setting. I don't know why he was there, but he certainlny made the whole thing feel more absurd.

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this story. It's not my favorite art style, but I thought it was a really relatable and funny post grad tale. The roommates and characters were all really funny and I wish they were more present throughout the story. I felt that Ben's friends were much more central towards the beginning of the story, and they got sort of lost in the middle, which I suppose is reflective of his dedication to his new job.

I really did like it though. Tom was so funny too!

I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

This was SUPER cute! Love a story with a cute romance subplot, especially when it's kind of slow and has all the yearning as this one does! Also, it made me so hungry, and it makes me wish I could try to make these (alas I suck at cooking and my kitchen is too small). I also am a sucker for a good "Figuring my life out" moment, as it is very relatable for young and old to experience being conflicted about life! Will definitely be recommending this!

Only reason why this wasn't higher rated was that I felt like the end was a bit rushed, and I wish we got to see Ben explore his relationships more!

Legit, if they ever decide to continue the story then I am DOWN, and I will 100% be buying a physical copy of this!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this book. I enjoyed the story, the characters are great (especially Watson, the pig), and the illustrations are wonderful. I had to hold myself back from licking the images with food, they looked so good! This was a fun quick read.