The imagery was everything with this. I’m such a sucker for cooking graphic novels and this did not disappoint. I really enjoy the art and the cooking aspects.

Of the reality television narratives I've read, this one sits about in the middle. It has several elements we'd expect - friends turned enemies forced to work together; wild challenges; scheming bad guys who will do anything to win. It tries to be innovative. THe rift between the protagonists has some promise but ends up being fairly simple and one-sided. Ultimately, the conflicts are overly simple and the titular Voyage de Gourmet too "out there" to be believable.

I have a special soft spot in my heart for cooking and this graphic novel absolutely delivered! I actually purchased a copy for myself!

3.7 rounded up for the vibrant art. The food competition aspect of the story is delightful but what Layne did to Jang-Mi felt really unforgiveable, so that required a little suspension of belief.

4.5 stars. This was such a fun, visually engaging read! I first heard about this graphic novel via NetGalley. While I was fortunate to receive an advance digital copy, I actually ended up reading the physical book from my local library. In this reality cooking competition show, former besties Layne and Jiang-Mi are paired up against several other colorful duos. There is so much variety in this book that reading it felt like a trip to a buffet… a little something for everyone.

Social media sensations and erstwhile childhood friends Layne Green and Jang-Mi Pipper are forced to band together again to win the titular cooking reality show in Paul Tobin’s newest comic which isn’t anything less than a scrumptious YA delight. The two 16-year-old protagonists cook up a rich dynamic that’s interesting to see evolve, especially on Layne’s part. From beginning to end, he's the same person in essence who’s passionate about cooking different dishes, but he matures throughout learning to take accountibility after an incident at middle school when he posts The Warthog Confessions, a series of videos where he confesses his love for Jang using footage from moments with her during her most personal moments which were recorded without her consent.

While from Layne’s perspective at the time, it seemed harmless, his obliviousness didn’t exempt him from the consequences of a strained friendship that lasted a few years. Even when Layne and Jang do team up together for the show, it takes time for him to earn her trust again, and it all occurs pretty organically. Jang is initially hostile only choosing Layne as a cooking partner because there are no other options before gradually warming up to him.

You would that since they’re on a reality program, there would be a lot more backstabbing and drama (and don’t get me wrong, those are present), but for the most part, the contestants are likable and friendly people who hang out and even offer to lend a helping hand to each other when needed. I think everyone received enough equal focus that by the end, it felt like I personally knew all of them. If I had to pick my favorite contestant pair, it would be a tie between the adventurous Karla Keeple & Tuck Friar and Andre Okafor & Citra Susanto who “are all about that sassy sauce.”

The only contestant duo I dislike is Flip Macklin and Flop House, both of whom are easily among the most entitled brats I’ve seen in a book. Every time they were on page complaining about petty matters or flagrantly skirting rules to their advantage, I wished for them to be eliminated from the competition. I guess this was intentional, so props to Paul Tobin for creating such genuinely annoying individuals to juxtapose the mostly likable characters.

Overall, Voyage de Gourmet is my type of gourmet meal I’d recommend to YA readers and foodies looking for a light story with fun characters and settings.

This is such a cute concept that gave me the feeling of childlike wonder when watching cartoons or Disney as a kid. However, this is for all ages. This story is about Layne and Jiang-Mi who were best friends who grew apart after Layne betrayed her by posting a private conversation on his YouTube channel. They both have culinary focused channels, later they end up being paired together to do a world tour cooking challenge reality TV show. It was amazing watching the dynamics between them and the other competitors, but also seeing a diverse background of characters and learning more about the different food careers.

This one started a little slow for me, but once it got going it was a lot of fun. I can think of other YA graphic novels about cooking competitions and this one is far, far superior. Everything is exaggerated in a way that feels larger than life and a lot of fun, just like a graphic novel can do.

Ever catch yourself daydreaming about the whirlwind lives of contestants on cooking shows, or perhaps secretly harbored dreams of donning the apron yourself back in the day? Voyage de Gourmet allows you to experience the cooking show ‘Voyage de Gourmet’ through the eyes of Layne Green and the other contestants.

This graphic novel had me hooked with its delightful artwork and a premise that's as thrilling as a flaming soufflé. Picture an outrageously over-the-top cooking show serving as the backdrop for Layne Green's chance encounter with his ex-BFF, the spirited Jang-Mi Pipper. Within the pages, you'll find a feast of challenges, camaraderie, and the occasional kitchen clash among the contestants.

The overall narrative serves up a heartwarming tale, though at times, it left me wishing for a little more complexity. Despite this longing, the deep bond between Jang-Mi and Layne remained palpable. However, I felt that their friendship might be too far down to get up again. Sometimes that made the story a little thrilling, but also a little bit unbelievable.

But, fear not – amidst the culinary chaos, the real star of the character-building show is Jang-Mi's furry companion, Frog. As a dog lover, I found myself effortlessly falling for Frog as a character, and his presence added a delightful layer to the story, infusing moments of levity and warmth.

While the spotlight shines on the friendship duo, the narrative also gives you a backstage pass to the entire show, offering glimpses into the lives of the diverse contestants. The constant switch in perspectives keeps things lively, but, the fast-paced shifts left me yearning for a deeper connection with some characters. Despite this, some moments had me in stitches or gleefully clenching my fists at the sheer cuteness.

Diversity takes the stage in this culinary adventure, even if it occasionally flirts with stereotypes. The characters, though, won me over with their charm and the unique ways in which they were introduced. So, if you're craving a flavorful blend of friendship, laughter, and a dash of competitive spice, Voyage de Gourmet is your ticket to a rollicking good time!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for letting me read this book. It was a pleasure to have this opportunity.

Voyage de Gourmet is a journey of forgiveness and learning to be a better person. It follows Layne Green, a teen cook selected for a reality cooking competition 'Voyage de Gourmet', as he fixes his relationship with his ex-best friend Jang-Mi Pipper, and finds some flavor in his life.

The story is simple and it flows well as a graphic novel. The main character Layne is very flawed and it took me until about 60% of the book to start to warm up to him as he realizes the extent of his jerk-ness towards Jang-Mi and admits it to her. I love his character development throughout the book, and there's a really cool section at the back on how to apologize properly to a friend.

Voyage de Gourmet (the competition) is wild, and the last challenge is definitely unethical to some extent (on human and marine life) but anyway, I like that the contestants get to travel to different countries like Indonesia and Belgium to experience the atmosphere there and make use of what's available to them in those countries. The foods are also diverse (shoutout to (filipino) Adobo!!) and I like that they included ingredients for the dishes in the first part of the book.

In addition to food diversity, the cast themself is also quite diverse. I love the biracial, fat, muslim, queer, and disability representation in this book. However there was one team with two (divorced?) men who were astronomical jerks to everyone (and Frog, Jang-Mi's dog) and I might be reading too much into this but they were just horrible gay rep. Jang-Mi lives with her lesbian aunts and their many adopted kids, and Karla and Tuck are married, so I like that casual sapphic rep, but I was just really annoyed with Flip and Flop, the gay assholes. In another book with a different tone, I would've liked them, but this graphic novel is geared towards young adults (maybe even 11+ based on the story tone) and I don't think I want them to have this idea about gay men.

Final rating: 3.5/5

Thank you NetGalley, Mad Cave Studios, and Maverick for this ARC! My opinion is my own

I requested this for consideration for Book Riot's All the Books podcast for its release date. After sampling several books out this week, I decided to go with a different book for my review.

I am a great fan of cooking TV competitions! I enjoy the creative dishes cooks make in little time— I could never! :)) This was much lighter than actual competitions of course, but it was good enough. Very suitable for children— fun, relatable, and adventurous! Not all adventurers are about pirates, monsters, and crazy evils! Sometimes it is dishes and complicated relationships!

For some reason I really want to cook a delicious meal right now…

This book was salty sweet and really good. I loved the character development and relationship between the characters, and I loved how everyone interacted. The competition element of the graphic novel was super entertaining and I loved how outlandish each game was.

I also loved the food element of the story. I love to cook, but I haven’t spent time cooking something in a while, and after reading this book I can’t wait to whip up some tasty dinners again.

Overall, a great book with a lovely message of owning up to your mistakes and the power of friendship, with the most amazing artwork. Seriously, check this book out!

A fun comic book about a young cook and his friend that he influenced on cooking, but then wronged. When both were selected in a team of cook, how would they clear up the misunderstanding? Just love the tour around the world, though a bit impossible, but it does give flavor to the story. And friendships along the way.

Thank you Mad Cave Studios and Maverick for a copy of Voyage de Gourmet!

"Layne Green is a social media sensation of a cook. He's selected to compete on a reality TV show called Voyage de Gourmet - a globe-trotting foodie adventure. However, his partner is his former best friend, Jiang-Mi Pipper, someone that he really wronged with some of his posts. Can the two find forgiveness, flavor, and themselves on this journey?"

Voyage de Gourmet has teens/young adults competing in a cooking-travel show. It gets chaotic and tense, then sweet. I also like that this graphic novel touches on posting social media content without your peers' consent -- even if that content is deemed "harmless".

Overall, I can always rely on Maverick to deliver a heartfelt graphic novel with diverse characters!

Loved it! About teenagers competing in a cooking show on TV - friends and former friends and cooking - super fun

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this so much. What happens when someone you trusted broke that bond? What happens when the repercussions last a lifetime? What a powerful book on friendship, the internet, and knowing when you're wrong.

Thank you Mad Cave Studios, Maverick, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this fun book. I liked the concept of the competitive cooking show around which the story is built. Great writing, wonderful, realistic, diverse set of characters, beautiful artwork, and lots of action and drama (just like on TV) made for a very enjoyable, fast-paced read. I definitely recommend this book and would’ve loved to see some recipes of the foods the contestants made in the competition in an appendix or a section at the back of the book.

LOVE LOVE LOVE! This one was so good! I love Paul Tobin and this new one did not disappoint. It's full of good characters and good food. I love things that are centered around cooking.

Wow i enjoy every adventure cooking in this book! The drama between Layne and Jiangmi so sweet, what a childhiod sweetheart. I curious about the cooking and want to try make it.

Thank you to NetGalley for provide this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

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