I absolutely adored this!!! This super sweet graphic novel is about Ben, a newly graduated English student who is struggling to find a job in writing. To pass the time, he gets a job as a chef and has to prove his chef skills through a series of challenges! But there’s a twist… Watson the pig has to approve of the dishes! 👀🐷👨‍🍳

This was so funny but addressed some amazing and important topics, such as finding your place in the world, overcoming parental expectations and following your passion. 🙌

There was also LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC rep, which I bloody loved. You’re gonna fall for Ben & Liam, for sure. 💗

The artwork was stunning and the themes of friendship were strong. I absolutely would recommend this to anybody! 🙌

Chef's kiss was a very cute and funny romance graphic novel. With a clean and nice art style that worked well with the story it felt very easy to read and I truly enjoyed it.

4.5
I thought it was really cute. The drawings were really good, they were well done. The story flowed really well, and I appreciated the struggle to find a job. I did find it a little unrealistic that a job that involved no previous experience would make you jump through so many hoops. I've worked in a kitchen before, and it wasn't like that haha, but I enjoyed the story enough that I overlooked that.

I really enjoyed this one. The art style was beautiful and really pulled me in. The story was predictable, but cute. I wasn't expecting...

*spoiler alert*

...how harsh and unsupportive the parents were. They were just awful. And there wasn't really a resolution there. But maybe that's just life.

Also Rachel's storyline with her relationship with her parents was just kind of a one-off. I wanted more there.

But overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to friends. I loved the ending. He got exactly what he wanted and what he deserved.

I loved the art in this and the friendships but felt that things moved very fast. I would definitely have loved it more if the book had been a bit longer.

This was a cute read. I loved the colorful graphics and the art was well done. Quick read. I liked the topic of what to do after college. Some people have it all figured out, others have no clue, and others, like Ben try really hard to do what they've been working hard in, but can't break into the field. Then they are left floundering and feeling desperate for any job. I had this same experience - I got a degree in psychology and right after college, I got a job in Food Service. It's a weird head space right after college. Ben was lucky to fall into a job he ended up liking and also found a great place with great co-workers. I think it's a good message to give to recent graduates: it's okay to fall outside your area of study. Explore, engage, and try new things. Don't limit yourself.

Overall, I give it a *chef's kiss*

Thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! Apparently 2022 is going to be the year of graphic novels and comics, which I have no complaints about. It’s pretty much all I’ve read in 2022 so far, and I’ve definitely found some great ones so far!

As someone who also graduated college with an English degree and struggled to find that full-time job, Ben’s journey is so relatable. As I think it will be for anyone in my generation. Especially as Ben gets rejection after rejection because they deem he doesn’t have enough work experience. If you’ve looked for any kind of full-time career position in the last few years, this will likely be relatable to you, too.

I also thought the romance in this was super sweet and not too fast moving. Ben and Liam have great chemistry on the page, and it’s definitely a kind of slow burn romance. Ben’s little friend group is also awesome, and I felt that most of the characters in the book were fully fleshed out. Despite the unsuccessful job hunt situation, Ben’s after college set up seems pretty nice!

My only complaint about this graphic novel is that it got really wordy at times. I think the writer might have thought that the cooking scenes needed a lot of explanation, but we could have gotten away with less words, I think. I found myself skimming some of the explanations throughout.

All in all, if you’re looking for a cute graphic novel romance to read this summer, definitely check this one out! Especially if you’re a recent college grad looking for that elusive full-time job. You’ll definitely find a kindred spirit in Ben.

A really cute graphic novel about a gay man's insecurities, a group of friends and a fluffy romance.

Very dense, but once I got into it I loved it!

This was so cute! It wasn’t too long so I was able to read it in one sitting, but I was smiling the whole time. It’s a very wholesome story that I would definitely read again. Not to mention it’s really funny and the characters are *chefs kiss*😉

I saw the cover for Chef’s Kiss and knew immediately that I had to read it. It reminded me of Ratatouille (wasn’t even sure if the plot was even similar to Ratatouille), it was gay, and it was a graphic novel/comic. I was sold. The book follows recently graduated Ben struggling to find a job and being constantly denied for lack of experience. Unable to land a job in his field, he applies for a spur of the moment job. This is a great book for anyone who feels pressured by society or family or whoever to go a certain path. It’s about discovering who you are and what your own path is, without outside influence.

Chef’s Kiss was absolutely so good. The struggle Ben faced while trying to find a job is a struggle that recently graduated people (ahem me and many others) actually face which made the characters more relatable. The meet-cute, because yes there is, was so adorable. I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time I was reading it. Watson, with his little yellow ascot, is the best taste-tester in the world and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. He was cuddling the jacket!!

An eARC of Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez was provided to me for free by NetGalley but all reviews are my own honest opinions. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

It is a slice of life graphic novel. Ben is struggling to land a job after his education and we follow Ben on his journey.

Ben is an amazing main character. His internal thoughts and reactions are so funny, I laughed out loud a few times and that's rare for me while reading. The book had me smiling throughout. Ben's struggles are real. No one offers work without experience and you need work to have experience. Quite the predicament to be in.

The friendship dynamics were great! They all worked together as a team and complemented each other. They were like a found family and I LOVE that trope.
The romance was cute and seeing Ben get flustered around Liam was adorable. The art style was amazing. I'm so jealous of Ben. He has a bedroom full of books. That's my dream now!

P.S. Watson stole the show.

E-ARC generously provided by Oni Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

4.5 stars, probably a 5 upon reread. With a stunning and fitting art-style and a simple and sweet plotline that hit close to home, Chef's Kiss was even more delectable than I expected: it's a sweet treat of a graphic novel that is definitely worth the read.

Book type: comic, new adult, LGBTQ+

THIS WAS SO CUTE

I got everything I hoped for: a sweet LGBTQ+ romance, a lighthearted story, and a few laughs.

I really liked all the characters! Ben was so relatable about his uncertainty of his future. His friendships with the other characters were really sweet. We learn enough about each character to fully appreciate them. In addition, the differences between the personalities were well established!

The story is perfect and very unique! I didn't feel like I was reading a story I had read before ! There was no moment of length, everything was PERFECT.

I recommend it for anyone who wants a funny LGBTQ+ romance.

Thank you to the author and to Oni Press for the opportunity !

Chef’s Kiss is a light-hearted graphic novel about finding your true self and your passions in life. One thing I liked about this book is that it highlighted how you don’t necessarily need to know what you want to do in the future early on in life. It is unfair to tell teenagers that whatever they choose to study is what they are required to do for the rest of their lives. For Ben, our quirky and nerdy main character, he listened to what he thought his parents wanted of him, which was to be a writer. But it turns out that cooking is something that he is really good at and genuinely enjoys. I personally rated this book four stars because I found it to be a quick read with relatable themes. Since it’s very short, some of the character’s personalities felt underdeveloped, but the relationships and friendships that are followed are still very sweet.

Very cute in that nonsensical Hallmark movie kind of way. I loved the art style but the text was pretty dense and distracting so I didn’t enjoy the panels as much as I could have. A good read for anyone transitioning out of college looking for a sweet romance, good friends, and inspiration to strike out on your own.

Thank you Oni Press for an advanced copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved this book! The art style is so cute and lovely, and the story matches! I love it when narratives show that just because you think that you need to be something, or do something, because it's what your parents what or what society expects, it doesn't mean that has to be your endgame. Chef's Kiss shows us that you have to follow your heart (and sometimes the taste skills of a pig) to find where you truly belong.

I would have gobbled up hundreds more pages of this story, because it made me smile on almost every page.

So cute!
I absolutely loved the story as well as the illustrations: THESE COLOURS!
Okay, so here is the story: four freshly graduated young adults move in together and start their life. Ben is having serious trouble finding a job in his field (I feel him, high five English Major!) so when he gets a job as a trainee chef, he is delighted. Especially that there is this absolutely stunning guy working in the restaurant, too.

125 pages of the real life of people in their early 20s.
Very real. Very beautiful. Loved it!

Okay wow, this story was so cute! The characters were incredibly likeable and realistic. Ben's story was relatable and felt familiar. His struggle in deciding what to do and feeling conflicted between the expectations of him versus the thing he loved to do captured the time period after structured education perfectly. Liz was my favourite supporting character, and reminded me of some of my good friends - not afraid to call me out if needed.

Ben's journey to understanding himself felt well paced, and the challenges he tackled each week helped the storyline move along. The writing was easy to follow and the conversations felt natural. I love the representation in the book, and if you're looking for a clean, queer romance this is it!

This is a lovely foodie romance. There's more of a focus on the foodie part and the young adult slice of life, where Ben Coo has just graduated from college and lives with roommates. The romance with Liam was underdeveloped but I loved the art and the cooking. The artistic style is a clean and simple lines that of Western floppy comics. It fits neatly in the style of the Fresh Romance series. A great start, but I wish the romance had been developed more.

This was such an enjoyable short read! I loved the art style in this book- the attention to detail was amazing! The plot was simple, but it was really fun to read and I ended up reading it all in one sitting! If you’re looking for a short, cute and uplifting read then I definitely recommend this!
5/5 ⭐️