Very cute! I really enjoyed the way this depicted the current "entry level jobs requiring experience" problem in today's job market in a lightheated and amusing way. The pig taste tester was a peculiar detail that made the story more whimsical and I was like "of course" when Ben found the photo album lmao. It's giving that one dude from Orange is the New Black and I am very here for it.

This graphic novel is cute yet entertaining. What I love about this book is... this book can give motivation to someone who just finished college to don't give up if you have a dream to know what's worth to begin with yourself; looking for job that suitable to your own passion to make you happy.

the pig timer in the bonus materials. no joke that bumped up my review a whole quarter star.
but overall it was fine, a short fluffy read, nothing really groundbreaking. a lot of the story felt like an RPG, like maybe a city-set Stardew Valley, which i enjoyed. the inclusion of a Shaggy-like stoner-with-the-munchies roommate was interesting (that's all i have to say about him). i think that after reading One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, my standards for city-living romances with roommate side characters have gone way up, and i know not every story that falls into this category will make as much use of its roommate characters, but i still know what's out there. the romance aspect didn't have very much payoff but i didn't really mind. also, can i just say, i am tired of reading queer romances about skinny/ripped white men.
cover review: ★★★★½. it's cute, especially the bag of vegetables. i get that the books in one hand and ingredients in the other represent his internal conflict, but like, eh. Watson (the pig) is adorable, i love the arrow, which is glossy on the physical edition 👌. the font for the title is not my favorite, like the grainy texture, the color, the unusual "K"; and i'm not sure about the choice of background color.

This was such a fun read, I never thought I would laugh so hard at a fictional pig! In "Chef's Kiss" we follow Ben who has just finished college, and has moved out with his friends. He tries looking for a job in writing but struggles, until he comes across a job in a local restaurant. In the restaurant he meets Liam who is a chef, as well as Chef Davis who sets Ben a challenge before he will be permanently hired at the restaurant. Ben is unsure to start with about the restaurant, but starts to make friends with Liam. We see Ben over the course of the book, develop feelings for Liam but struggle to express them. It tells the story of not giving up on something that you have a passion for, and to go with your gut, as well as showing that a good support network is everything. 
 This book is filled with brightly coloured illustrations, and I found myself rooting for all of the characters. 

Oh my gosh! This book!

I loved everything about this book - the plot, the characters, the artwork!

I especially loved the character development for Ben as well as his relationship with Liam.

Basically this book is teeth-rotting sweet!

WOW

I was absolutely blown away by this graphic novel!

Chef's Kiss is the story of Ben, who, having recently graduated with an English degree, is entering the job market with some uncertainties. Interview after interview, he comes to terms with the struggle of finding a job right after graduation. He ends up landing a position in a local restaurant, where his cooking skills have to be tested before he can officially assume the role of cook.

I really enjoyed the exploration of friendships, parental relationships, queer love, pressure to find a job, and deviating from one's path. This graphic novel has lovable characters, including a food critic pig, great banter, and serious conversations about adulthood and interpersonal relationships. It's definitely one of my favorite reads of the year so far!

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me with an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.