NYCC: CHEF’S KISS AGAIN – Eisner & GLAAD Award-Nominated Sensation to Return in Brand-New Sequel by Jarrett Melendez & Irene Flores from Oni Press in 2025
Plus: Alex Award-Winning First Volume by Jarrett Melendez & Danica Brine Gets the Prestige Treatment with the CHEF’S KISS DELUXE EDITION in May 2024
PORTLAND, OR (October 16, 2023) – As revealed this weekend at New York Comic Con, Oni Press—the multiple Eisner, Harvey, and Ringo Award-winning publisher of comics and graphic novels for all ages—is proud to announce CHEF’S KISS AGAIN, the much-anticipated sequel to the 2023 ALA Alex Award-winning original graphic novel by co-creators Jarrett Melendez & Danica Brine!
Teaming Melendez with incoming illustrator Irene Flores (R.L. Stine’s Just Beyond: Monstrosity, Heavy Vinyl), CHEF’S KISS AGAIN is scheduled for publication in 2025 and will pick up precisely where the first volume left off—with the romance between culinary wunderkind Ben Cook and his sous-chef-turned-new-flame, Liam, on the front burner and even more high-pressure adventures in fine dining awaiting with each evening seating! But when a culinary rival decides to kidnap their restaurant’s secret weapon—the taste-testing pig named Watson—the heat is going to rise…inside and outside the kitchen!
“I never could have predicted the overwhelmingly positive response to Chef’s Kiss,” said writer and co-creator Jarrett Melendez. “We set out to make something that our teen and 20-something selves would have been obsessed with, and I’m so happy it’s landed and resonated with people that are that age now. I can’t wait to share what’s next for Ben, Liam, Watson, and the rest of our beautiful, dorky cast!”
“Working with Jarrett and Danica on Chef’s Kiss has been a dream, and it’s been amazing to see the huge response for it over the past year,” said Oni Press Editor Grace Scheipeter. “With Irene Flores joining the team and lots of ideas cooking up, I can’t wait for everyone to get a taste of CHEF’S KISS AGAIN.”’
Plus: Before CHEF’S KISS AGAIN reaches stores worldwide in 2025, catch up on the first course with the critically acclaimed debut volume that has earned a wide-ranging coterie of awards and nominations—a 2023 ALA Alex Award winner, 2023 Eisner Award nominee for “Best Teen Publication,” a 2023 GLAAD Media Award nomination, a 2023 YALSA “Great Graphic Novel for Teens” citation, a 2022 New York Public Library “Best Book” citation, and more—with the CHEF’S KISS DELUXE EDITION hardcover!
Arriving on shelves in May 2024, the sensational first volume from co-creators Jarrett Melendez and Danica Brine returns in a beautiful deluxe hardcover edition featuring a gorgeous new cover by Brine and never-before-seen bonus content!
Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for something—anything—related to his passion for reading and writing, but the search couldn’t be going any worse. When he stumbles upon a “Now Hiring, No Experience Necessary” sign outside of a local restaurant, he jumps at the chance to land his first job. But when Ben begins developing a crush on Liam—one of the other super-dreamy chefs at the restaurant—and starts ditching his old college friends and his writing ambitions alike, his future becomes much less clear. Will he follow his dreams…or will he see what cooks up between him and Liam?
Debuting exclusively in the CHEF’S KISS DELUXE EDITION hardcover, look for a foreword by New York Times best-selling author Kami Garcia (Teen Titans: Raven), author Q&A, new recipes from author Jarrett Melendez, and never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes process art featuring the exquisite work of artist Danica Brine.
Finally: Reserve your seat for the first comics-to-kitchen crossover with the CHEF’S KISS WATSON’S AUTUMN SPICE MIX—a custom Curio spice blend personally crafted by CHEF’S KISS writer Jarrett Melendez! Perfect for pairing with mushroom barley soup or roasted butternut squash, this seasonal fall offering will be available for pre-order later this week at OniPress.com.
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