MEAL by Blue Delliquanti with Soleil Ho (Iron Circus Comics, October 2018)

"You moved cross-country to work at a bug restaurant. There's no way I'm gonna miss what happens next."

Yarrow is a young chef determined to make her mark on the cutting edge of cookery with her insect-based creations. Though her enthusiasm is infectious, it rubs some of her fellow cooks the wrong way, especially Chanda Flores, Yarrow's personal hero and executive chef of an exciting new restaurant. Her people have been eating bugs for centuries, and she's deeply suspicious of this newbie's attempt to turn her traditions into the next foodie trend. While Chanda and her scrappy team of talented devotees struggle to open on time, Yarrow must win over Chanda - and Milani, the neighbor she's been crushing on for weeks - or lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve her dreams.

Co-written with chef and food writer Soleil Ho (Edible Manhattan, Bitch), Blue Delliquanti's sweet coming-of-age story takes us deep into a world of art, mystery, and memory on the culinary frontier.

Select praise for MEAL:

School Library Journal starred review: "The creators infuse the sophisticated narrative with knowledge of restaurant politics, food history, and cultural views about insect-eating around the world. The bright-eyed energy of Delliquanti's clean, solidly inked cartoons engages the senses. Snapshots of chopped vegetables and simmering sauces will remind readers of their own powerful experiences discovering new flavors and foods. The final result is a delicious feast steeped in a rich combination of a diverse cast, queer romance, and culinary delight."
Publishers Weekly review: "This fresh and tasty comic provides an enticing introduction to a less-traveled area of cuisine."