One of the UK’s brightest comic talents Katriona Chapman explores the high pressures of the food industry in The Pass. In her early thirties, Claudia is fast becoming a sensation on the culinary scene. While putting her chic London restaurant, Alley, on the map, she decides to enter the upcoming Chef of the Year competition. All this, as she is also attempting to make a name for herself beyond the shadow of her famous chef father. As the day of the competition nears, tensions simmer as the pressures of ambition, business, family, and friendship threaten to throw her world awry.
Katriona Chapman has garnered a strong reputation amongst indy comic fans in the UK for her work published through Avery Hill including Breakwater and Follow Me In. The Pass is her first work to be published through US publisher Fantagraphics which looks to expose the creator to a whole new audience.
Chapman has always had an unflinchingly honest approach to storytelling. Her first full length comic Follow Me In combined travel writing with a coming-of-age memoir drawing on her relationship troubles. The Pass is an equally frank piece of work that makes no bones about the pressures and demands of being a high-level professional chef. It would be easy to slip into making the narrative take on a rageful tone given the subject and channel the likes of Gordon Ramsay or Anthony Bourdain. But Chapman remains true to her style and takes a more measured introspective look at these pressures along with the human toll that they take.
A lot of Claudia’s struggles are internalised and understated which go a long way in setting the tone of the comic. Her subtle discomfort and nervousness at the thought of competing in the Chef of the Year competition and quiet sadness that her father won’t let her cook with him is much more effective than an emotional outburst. Likewise, Ben’s awkward relationship with his parents over his direction in life and Claudia’s business partner Lisa finding herself the victim of embezzlement are used for character building rather than purely dramatic moments.
Chapman has a very identifiable visual style that she has built on over the years beginning from her time as a children’s book illustrator. Her characters benefit greatly from her almost storybook approach which enhances the subtleness of her storytelling. The level of emotion she can draw out of the cast through their quiet stresses is truly impressive.
This is a powerful graphic novel that gives a restrained yet frank assessment on the problems with running a successful restaurant. Chapman continues to be a talent comic fans need to watch!
The Pass is out now from Fantagraphics (9798875000652, h/b, £22.99)
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