Although I think I am past these kind of books I still enjoyed Chef's Kiss by Jarrett Melendez. Ben was one of my favourite main characters, just due to how absolutely soft he is. I also liked the other characters like Emi and Liam. The entire cast of characters was well done and they enhanced the story.

I also enjoyed the illustrations, particularly that of the food (I got hungry while reading!).

Overall, it was a nice wholesome read.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel is so cute and wholesome!! Readers that liked Check, Please! will definitely love this one. It's got so much going for it- lovely art, queer romance, and a bakery/restaurant trope.

I honestly really love the art style of this book. The art is colorful and detailed, and the character's expressions are really great. As for the story, it's very cute and the characters are decently fleshed out. There's even some space for development of the main character.

My only criticism is that I could have gone without the pig character having so much screen time. While he provided some comic relief, it felt a little out of place to me and I would have enjoyed the story just as much without him.

Altogether I really enjoyed this book and it's a great addition to queer graphic novels!

Recent English graduate Ben Cook is not having luck in the job market. After applying for every industry job he can find, and being rejected for not having professional experience, he's ready to give up hope of finding his dream job in journalism. By chance, he walks past a vegetarian restaurant and begins a 3-week work trial. This isn't an ordinary restaurant - the head chef is rude, he has to pass 4 challenges to keep his job and the ultimate taste tester is a pig. Initially, Ben expects this job to just pay the bills, but his days in the kitchen (and time spent with the very attractive Liam) sparks a passion he has not felt before. Was he maybe aiming for the wrong career path after all?

What a sweet read! The characters were relatable and lovable, the story very on topic for graduates right now and the illustrations stunning! I would recommend picking this up if you love graphic novels. Be warned though, it will make you hungry (I really want ricotta and mushroom tart now)...

Thank you to net galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A wholesome, cozy story about choosing what makes you happy and how it doesn't have to exclude something else that makes you equally happy? With a magical (?) pig? Yes please!

This is a graphic novel about Ben, who is fresh out of college and can't catch a break while applying for writing jobs. As he's walking back to the place he shares with a group of friends, he sees a sign in a window with the magical words "no experience required", and he jumps on the chance. It's a restaurant, and sure he can cook, but it did say no experience needed ...

The guy that greets him ticks all the boxes for what Ben finds attractive, and that's his first incentive to do well. But as time goes on, he's enjoying the prospect of being an assistant chef more and more.

All in all, this is a sweet little story about doing what feels right for you, not to please others. Several of the characters have stood up to their parents, or their friends, to do something that they want (get a tattoo, stay in college, etc) and in the end, the message is that you do you. It's got a side of budding romance, as well as several parts that made me laugh out loud while reading. On top of that, the art is attractive and the story is easy to follow. I will definitely look for this creator's work in the future!

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for the digital arc of this graphic novel!


A charming graphic novel containing self discovery, romance, and a pig food critic - Chef's Kiss is great for readers fresh out of high school and/or college. Readers will relate to Ben's struggles of finding his place in the world and which passion to follow through with.

Thank you @netgalley and @onipress for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ✨

Ben Cook is a graduate looking for a job. This search leads him to new challenges he never thought would come across his path. 🤔

This book is incredibly cute and adorable. 🥰
And it made me hungry. 🤤

I do believe I love these cutesy love stories in graphic novel format. It conveys so much through the images. 🤩
And then the food and the cooking, goodness me, I would love to visit this restaurant if I could. 😋
I could of course go visit Watson then, as well, the cutest and funniest pig in all the lands. 😄

If you love cooking or food, if you love love, just read this graphic novel already. It will make you happy! 💙💙

This was so cute. I loved the romance and the road to one's self was amazing. Def will become a comfort read. 4⭐

This graphic novel was so cute and fun! I went through it so quickly. I loved the characters and the storyline.

Ben is trying to get a job as a writer but no one will give him a job because he doesn't have enough experience. But how can someone get experience right out of college if no one will give you a chance? He starts to apply to all jobs he can find, even though he know his parents will not approve. He gets a trial at a restaurant and he starts to really find himself there.

I highly recommend giving this one a try!

Chef's Kiss is such a cute graphic novel about one man's cooking, and his attempt to get a job working in a kitchen. I will preface this by saying that the boss VERY much gives me pissed Gordon Ramsey vibes and can be very hot and cold... but tbh - working in hospitality I've seen plenty of Head Chef's like him so it didn't seem too lut of character for me to believe.

Said boss also has a pet Pig that I would love to pet lmao. It'll make sense if you read it.

I also appreciate his group of friends, their post-Uni attempts to survive and just live in general. The love interest is also cute as heck. I am a heavy fantasy reader, but this was everything I wanted from a contemporary graphic novel.. Yes. I'm happy with this, and I'd put it under a lot of noses!

Ben Cook has just graduated from college and is hoping to find a job in publishing or journalism. Only, every interview he goes to he has too little experience to be hired. Desperate for a job, Ben applies to work at a vegetarian restaurant, The Conchon Dore. However, in order to work there he must pass rigorous testing by the Chef, in which his food will be judged by the Chef's pig (Watson). At the same time, Ben's relationship with his best friend (Liz) and roommates becomes strained as he is so busy. He also begins to develop feelings for another chef at the job, and he continuously lies to his parents about the nature of the work he found.

This was a quick, cute, charming read that also packs a lot of emotional moments. Ben is a character who thinks he knows what he wants after college, but has really only been following the dreams his parents have for him. When he starts cooking for The Conchon Dore, he begins to feel his own freedom of choice. He is able to really dive into his love for food and cooking, which he had dismissed as a hobby. He places his desires and dreams first.

This is also a book about both the power of good friendship and sometimes the claustrophobia of longtime friendship. He has support from his friends, but because he is not truthful with them, or himself, about his love for this new job, they do not understand why he is spending so much time there and not with them. However, like good friends, they talk and work out their issues, making their friendship stronger.

The art style is reminiscent of mangas, specifically boys love mangas. This gives the story a softer, more heartfelt and emotional resonance. The characters are realistic, while also having funny or strange back stories (the relationship between the pig, Watson, and Chef in particular). The stylization adds to the romance blossoming between Ben and Sous Chef Liam. There were moments I found sort of dragged on, for example Liz's yoga class. I understood its importance in calming Ben's mind and helping to make a vital decision, but it could also have been shorter (felt a little like filler).

Overall, this was a sweet book about finding one's self and enjoying the freedom to be your own person. It is about fighting familial expectations and voicing your own dreams and desires even when you are scared to do so. It is a book about found family and friendships that help an individual to grow and thrive. It is a book about many different kinds of love and how love is the perfect ingredient for life.

Thank you so much to Oni Press and Netgalley for gifting me a copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick read for me, one that would love to read to get out of the slump. I loved the graphics in the novel and the plot was interesting.
However, I could not connect with the characters and felt like they could use more descriptions and have meaningful interactions.
The main character does pine after the love interest but their interactions were too limited to end up the way they did.
Overall, the plot could use a little more brushing up but I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a light, fluff read.

I thoroughly enjoyed the art style much more than anticipated–not that I was looking or not looking forward to it. The art style is very reminiscent if not the same as comic art in comic books, which felt like home [I grew up reading comics]. Story wise, I found Ben’s experience in the job market extremely relatable as I recently graduated college as well. Overall, I think this story kind of hit close to home to me, despite there being differences between Ben and myself. Character-wise, I liked all the main characters save Tom. I think Tom was a bit one dimensional and could’ve been fleshed out a bit more. Rachel is a bit one dimensional as well, however, somehow I was able to enjoy her character still. I liked Ben as a main character and found him extremely relatable. Also, the fact that we’re both really into cooking, are recent college graduates who love reading and writing and are queer resulted in me connecting with Ben quite quickly. An important piece of a story is the character’s relatability and that really was a spotlight with Chef’s Kiss. I would love love loveeee to see where Ben’s life goes, especially with how the story ends. I give Chef’s Kiss a strong 4/5.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oh my goodness, this was absolutely delectable! Highly recommend for fans of Bloom and Check, Please!! Keep in mind this one does have a slightly silly element, when it comes to the cooking competition. That did take me out of the story just a little bit, wondering where in the heck that part of the story came from. Otherwise, though, this one was a boat load of fun!! Bonus: The art style is absolutely beautiful, as well!

I am so in LOVE with this story. It combined so many things that I love like Shakespeare, books, food, and sweet sweet romance. Ben is adorable in all his awkward book nerdiness. The friendships between Ben and his roommates and his co-workers made me so happy. All the love and support for him as he is trying to discover his path in life made this so heartwarming. Liam, the love interest in this book, is such a heartstopper and incredibly nice too. I love the slow burn chemistry between them too. Also, Liam supports and understands the struggle Ben is going through in trying to figure out what he wants to do with his career and life.

This story and artwork made me so hungry. All the recipes that Ben has to learn and the ones he created looked so delicious. It made me want to start experimenting with cooking and baking again. Ben having to get approval on all his recipes by having a pig taste test them was hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was such a cute and heartwarming romantic read. I loved it!

Ben is fresh out of school, moving in with his friends and looking for a job. However, no one is ready to hire him without any experience and so when he comes across a cooking job with no required experience, he takes it.

This was such a fun, easy to read graphic novel!!
Ben is such a lovable and relatable main character and you just can’t help but root for him throughout the story. This graphic novel has a little bit of everything; a job crisis, friendships, cooking and a tad of romance. The illustrations are amazing and if you love graphic novels, you” ll fly through this one! Highly recommend!!

Huge thanks to Oni Press and Net Galley for the digital copy!

this story is very nice, and I could connect a lot with the main character since I am about to graduate and that is my biggest fear when looking for a job, that we are denied for lack of experience and I know that the whole process is too frustrating and it's okay to feel bad for not finding something you studied and this story shows us that not always life has prepared us a path to follow, but it will present us with an opportunity that can exploit other qualities that we have and that will make us happy.

It's a nice story, I loved the drawing and the interaction of each of the characters (especially the piggy haha, he gave me too much laughter).
I only had a small but with the owner of the restaurant, but then he became more understandable and kind and I could tolerate him more.

It's a nice story, I recommend it to everyone, since it's a very light read and its English is a very simple thing, so there will be no problem for those people who are just starting with the language

Received digital ARC from NetGalley.

100% would re-read again and again. This was a really cute graphic novel of young adult finding his path after college. This story is realistic in its telling of how many Americans may struggle in finding a job in a field they obtained a degree in; therefore, forcing them to find work in alternate areas. Really cute lgbt story line as well. I would love it if this were a series; to follow Ben and his friends as they navigate their life.

Will Ben take the easy way out or fight for what he really wants? After college, Ben is struggling to find a job as a writer without any work experience when he stumbles across a help wanted sign…

This is a sweet, low angst graphic novel about four young twenty-somethings just after college graduation. The four friends are all at different points with their education and careers with some continuing their education and others working or looking for work.

The story focuses on Ben and his dreams of being a writer. As he struggles to find a job in his field without any work experience he finds a job working in a vegetarian restaurant. The kitchen dynamics are challenging and the head chef puts him through a difficult set of tests before he will give Ben the job.

Ben has to face the challenges of his new job, support his friends, and make his parents happy while deciding what he really wants to do with his life. Ben has a lot to figure out with the added complications of his feelings for Liam, another chef at the restaurant, and his parents demanding him to take an unpaid internship that they set up for him.

The characters are unique and interesting, the artwork is beautiful, and that taste-testing pig, Watson, steals the show. This is a quick read with an optimistic ending.

Recommended for: romance readers that like low angst fluffy stories; foodies that read graphic novels

Content warning: slightly toxic, overbearing parents

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was SO cute. I was a really big fan of the Webtoon Gourmet Hound so I was really hoping for a sweet, romantic story about cooking, friendship, and finding yourself. And this was all those things! The artwork was lovely and I adored the story. I found myself laughing at Watson the pig's elaborate backstory and Vlad the bong.

While the romance didn't totally blow me away, it was fun to read and had me rooting for them to be together. What I was really drawn to in the story was actually the plotline about Ben trying to discover what he wanted to do after graduation: his long-time goal of being a writer, or chasing after his newfound passion for cooking.

Being a recent grad myself, and someone who is now trying to decide whether or not to go after a job in writing, I felt like the author was inside my brain. It made me really happy that Ben found a balance between these two things. It gives me hope that I'll find something like that too!

If you get the chance, I definitely recommend this graphic novel. It's a quick read and just so upbeat and adorable.

it is a very cute read. the style is visually rich, colorful and appealing. the storyline is a good mix of sweet and deep.