The Pass

British cartoonist Chapman follows up Breakwater with another affecting, low-key drama, in this case about a trio of restaurant workers balancing work, personal, and familial conflicts. Claudia Grace, chef-owner of Alley, runs the buzzy London restaurant with her sous chef and best friend Lisa, plus bartender and potential hook-up Ben. Despite her growing success, Claudia perpetually feels like she’s in the shadow of her famed chef father. At the encouragement of a food journalist, she enters a “Pro Chef of the Year” contest, even though the stressful competition complicates her day-to-day. Reflecting on her fatigue to Ben, she says, “My life’s been studying and working, that’s about it.” Meanwhile, Lisa struggles to balance her long shifts at Alley and her home life with her husband and young son, while Ben does his best to get his parents, who bemoan his preference for gardening and artisanal mixers over football (or a higher paying job), to acknowledge his accomplishments. Chapman’s graceful art, muted color scheme, and focus on character development serve her storytelling. The details of restaurant operations lend the proceedings an insider’s view, while the many parent-child relationship stresses and strains touch upon universal emotions. It adds up to a kinder, gentler—but no less probing—graphic novel riff on The Bear. (Jan.)