Common Sense Media Review
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
New main character brings fresh energy to solid series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In CHEF'S SECRET, Jason Yao takes over as lead character. He's a 13-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a chef and earning a Michelin star. He is also excited to actually have a girlfriend in Mia Tang, the smartest and coolest girl he's ever been fortunate enough to be friends with. And he's determined to not mess things up, but he's keeping a secret that could ruin everything.
Is It Any Good?
This is a refreshing story that continues the Front Desk series. While the previous five books followed Mia Tang, Chef's Secret smartly introduces a new main character in Jason Yao. But fans of Mia shouldn't worry, as she appears throughout as Jason's new girlfriend, and they have an endearing, cute, and positive relationship. But there's a lot on Jason's plate as he juggles his parents' demands, job duties, middle school responsibilities, and being a good boyfriend (and figuring out what that even means). Author Kelly Yang does a wonderful job getting into the head of this good-natured 13-year-old boy who's made a few mistakes in the past. How he handles those mistakes, how he owns up to them, or not, has the potential to teach Jason what's more important than a Michelin star. Jason's father's narrative arc also serves as a nice parallel to Jason's journey throughout this eighth grade year. While his father realizes how his lack of kindness has impacted people, Jason realizes how being present for Mia, every day, is much better than any "perfect date."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about bullying behavior, lying, and secrets. Were any parts of Chef's Secret scary for you? What moments did Jason face that were the most worrisome? How did he get through them?
How does Jason learn communication, perseverance, and self-control throughout the novel? Mia also shows compassion, integrity, and empathy. What lessons do they learn together?
Did you appreciate getting to read about a different main character in this series? Why, or why not?
Jason "did a bad thing" when he was trying to impress mean kids. Do you think he should be forgiven?
Are you happy with how this book ends? Would you be interested in another book that follows Jason instead of Mia? What about a story that follows both of them?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Family Life
- Topics : Cooking , Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Empathy , Integrity , Perseverance , Self-control
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Focus
- Publication date : June 3, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 240
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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