Art by Selina Espiritu
Covers by Bridget Underwood
Published by Kaboom!
Welcome to the first Family Comic Friday of 2018!
For this week, I choose a title that's subject matter is very near and dear to me. When I am not writing for my blog, I am a professional chef and culinary instructor. So, I choose a title from the expanding genre of culinary themed comics and graphic novels for my initial entry in the new year.
The title I selected for this week is called Brave Chef Brianna. Published by KaBoom! Studios, this book is the story of Brianna. She is the only daughter among fifteen older brothers born of a world famous chef. The chef poses a challenge to his children: create the most profitable eatery within the next two years and the winner will inherit dad's culinary empire.
Brianna chooses to open shop in Monster City. However, the residents of the town don't take very well to humans. Plus, the city officials have made it illegal for monsters to eat human food. It all looks like Brianna's plan is doomed to fail. That is until a small group of monsters sample her forbidden cuisine and become hooked!
Now Brianna owns the hottest eatery in town! Can she continue to operate in secret defiance to Monster City's strict anti-human cuisine rules? Or will she find herself in hot water with those who wish to impose the old ways of eating?
This 4-issue series by Sam Sykes (Munchkin) is perhaps the most accurate representation of the restaurant industry I have ever come across in comics. Brianna has to endure many real life scenarios that a restaurateur would when opening an cafe. Finding the right location, dealing with rude customers, broken equipment, and staff shortages are all things I deal with on a daily basis as a chef.
Even Brianna's struggles to present human food to the monster population has real world implications. Chefs often must struggle to craft menus that appeal to a wide variety of guests. Navigating Halal and Kosher dietary laws as well as providing vegan/vegetarian grub and protecting diners with food allergies are all barriers to food a chef owner must face. To neglect those needs could result in you business getting shut down or hit with a lawsuit.
While I've built food businesses up from the ground floor, I have also dealt with my fair share of monster customers. They just don't happen to be real monsters like the giants, ghouls, and eclectic clientele that eat at Brianna's. Nor are they are rude as mine have been. Newcomer Selina Espiritu does an amazing job rendering the assortment of residents that dwell in Monster City. Her plate diagramming could use some work however. But her illustrations of the cityscapes is quite stunning. I was equally impressed with Bridget Underwood's covers.
This 2017 series was originally released as 4 individual issues. Recently in December, the title was released as a trade paperback. If your local comic book shop is kid friendly, you probably could find Brianna in either format. You can also check out big box stores like Barnes and Noble and Amazon. If you like your comics to be digital, Brave Chef Brianna is also available on Comixology.
This book has a definite ending. But I really hope this isn't the end to the adventures of Brianna and friends. This series combines both comics and culinary- two great passions of mine. Plus, it's interactive as each issue contains a recipe based on a dish found in the story. Aspiring chefs (along with a helpful adult) can create some really yummy dishes. Thus, not only is Brave Chef Brianna a fun read, it's educational without feeling like going to school.
In my book, anything that turns kids on to reading as well as cooking is the best thing since sliced bread. To not continue the story of Brave Chef Brianna in another volume would be a crime. But the story will not continue if you don't buy this book. Pick up a copy today. You and the young reader in your life will have a really exciting read and maybe even get inspiration for your next dinner party play date.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
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