Food Wars! vol. 1

"Food Wars!" tells the story of an ambitious boy named Soma whose dreams of becoming a successful chef appear to be over when his father closes down the family restaurant. His father then challenges Soma to enroll in an elite culinary school that prides itself on a brutally low graduation rate. Throw a toffee-nosed heiress who is also enrolled at the school into the equation and the big question is: Can Soma survive?

Featuring the kind of lush illustrations typical of Shonen Jump releases, "Food Wars!" includes mouthwatering dishes such as grilled squid tentacles in peanut butter ("a flavor so twisted") that will test the resilience of any stomach, as well as recipes you can try at home.

With this in mind, readers are well advised to steer clear of this book on an empty belly. (Elliott Samuels)