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!

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.

That is sooo cute! 💕

I thought that it will be simple love story, but there was so much more than this!

"Chef's kiss" is most of all about Ben trying to find himself when suddenly he has to be an adult and find a job which not necessarily will be compatible with his expectations.

There are also subtle hints of romance but it is not all about it. And the humor - so on point!
I really loved this story and also the style of it - amazing colors, so satisfying to look at them. 😍

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

New Adult graphic novel? Sign me up! I found this story beautiful in its plot and in its art. I'm always hoping for more new adult that isn't all about the spice and this book does have some spice (both romantically and in cooking)!

I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot. The characters were sweet, the romance cute but what I loved most were the food descriptions, which I thought were great.

Chef’s Kiss is an absolutely delightful read and has so many relatable moments mixed in with humor and a tad bit of emotion that makes the story worthwhile. Benji struggling to find work in his chosen career path despite having his degree is one of the most relatable things for so many people just finishing up school and trying to start their new life. I loved how the romance was handled in this too— it was there and extremely clear that both sides were interested, but there a was a respect and understanding from each of them that caused things to slow down (in a way that needed to be done). Even with all the little quirks thrown in (like the whole pig thing— adorable. I love it. But what???), it’s still heavily realistic for how people are handling life nowadays when they first finish up school between how hard Ben’s struggling and the pressure put on him by those around him. This is definitely one of my new favorite graphic novels, and I can’t wait to get a physical copy in my hands.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I loved every one of the characters and the art was spectacular. Ben was a very relatable protagonist and was easy to connect with.

My favorite part of this story was probably Watson’s backstory, it was absolutely hilarious.

The romance, though a subplot, was amazingly done as well and well paced.

This book was so adorable and the art style really accessible even to someone that doesn't read comics/graphic novels very often,

This is a charming and quick read with some very deep points about deciding your future for yourself and not comparing your progress to others that I really appreciated.
Ben is adorable and his struggle to find any job related to what he studied is relatable, as is his finding something he's passionate about that's not what everyone expects of him and his crush on super handsome cook Liam.
The art is cute and matches the feel of the story perfectly, with expressions being a particular strength of Brine's. I particularly appreciated the adorable pig, Watson, as he gets to be one of the most expressive and memorably cute characters in a book full of great moments.
I really hope we eventually get a story of Watson and Chef Davis' past because the little glimpse we get has me intrigued.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for the early read!

his was the cutest fucking thing!

The artwork! The friendship dynamics! The humor! WATSON! That slow-burn romance!

Ah! I need 100 more pages.

It's just the perfect sweet new adult graphic novel.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

I rarely do it, but I actually had to DNF this one at about 1/3 of the way in. The premise sounded really fun and interesting and I did adore the art style, but I found the story to be a bit on the slower pace. Especially considering that the format was a graphic novel, it just didn't catch my attention as much as I wanted it to.

One thing I really did like about it was, as mentioned before, the art style. The colors were vibrant, and the style was realistic yet cartoonish, which I really love when graphic novels are like that. Overall, two stars instead of one star because of the great art.

Thank you to Oni Press for an e-ARC of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review!

I've been meaning to get to this one for a while and I'm glad I finally got to it as it was very fun. Admittedly, I wasn't that big on the characters at the start but as they all developed in their own ways they came together and formed a nice little family of sorts. I felt that the story became a bit bogged down in the romance and I would've liked to see Ben navigate his wants and needs more as they felt sidelined for the romance--which felt a bit insta-love-ish too. The dialogue wasn't the best either, some of it felt super stilted while other parts felt a bit cringey as the characters didn't feel as old as they were said to be. I wish that the book was slightly longer as some plotlines, particularly the culinary challenges, felt a bit rushed. As for the art style, I felt that it fit the story really well and it is my favourite art from a graphic novel that I've read. I also loved the attention to detail and the depictions of food which made me hungry. I would recommend this graphic novel as it's fun and quick to read with a nice story to tell!

This was such a cute story! I loved the art and I seriously loved Ben. This is a great graphic novel to read to get ready for Valentines.