Chef's kiss

Ben, a newly graduated English major, is starting to feel a little panicky. He's gone on 17 interviews for various writing, editing, and blogging positions with no takers, and his graduation money is almost gone. Spotting a "help wanted" sign in the window of restaurant Cochon Doré, Ben applies and is hired on the spot--provided he can complete four cooking challenges, that is. With the help and encouragement of Liam, the super cute sous chef, Ben starts to really love working in the kitchen. As long as his parents don't find out that he's not working as a writer, everything should be just fine. Much more a coming-of-age story than a romance, this comic follows Ben as he has to choose a path: become a writer and satisfy his parents or become a chef, a profession he's coming to love. While his parents are underdeveloped--to be fair, they aren't on screen very long--all of the other characters have quirky, defined personalities, which come through in the strong, dynamic artwork. A great choice for readers just starting on their career paths.

Bon Appétit contributor Melendez blends his culinary skill and knack for fiction into a perfect mix of romance and self-discovery in this charming graphic novel. Ben Cook has just graduated college with the dream of landing a publishing job but has absolutely no professional prospects, a secret he's keeping from his helicopter parents. In desperation after more than a dozen unsuccessful interviews, he lands a job at vegetarian eatery Cochon Doré and dives headfirst into something school could never have prepared him for: his own miniature MasterChef gauntlet to win a full-time gig. The biggest hurdle? Ben's budding crush on cutie sous chef, Liam. The final arbiter of Ben's fate? Watson, a quiet and enigmatic food critic. Artist Brine is a perfect collaborator for this lightly fantastical tale; her characters are expressive, with Ben's emotions palpable on the page, and playful touches including Ben imagining other characters as fairies or goblins. Hank Jones's coloring and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou's lettering give Brine's linework room while adding vibrant, fun pops to spotlight the script's sillier elements. Throughout, the characters are well-done, with Watson a highlight, and the romance is heightened by the emotional fulfillment of Ben's difficult journey into adulthood. This enticing tale is sweet and satisfying. (Mar.)