The Two Saddest Kitchens: A Comics Conversation

by Roz Chast, Jason Adam Katzenstein

#1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Roz Chast teams up with her fellow New Yorker cartoonist Jason Adam Katzenstein to rip the Tupperware lid off what's really going on in their kitchens.

The kitchen is the “heart of the home,” or at least it's supposed to be. But wait! What's that lurking under the sink? Behind the cabinets? In the back of the refrigerator?! When celebrated New Yorker cartoonists Roz Chast and Jason Adam Katzenstein confessed to each other that their kitchens were far from Martha Stewart perfect, they knew they couldn't be the only ones cracking under the pressure of their pressure cookers.

In The Two Saddest Kitchens, Roz and Jason combine their hilarious cartoon sensibilities to take (chicken) stock of everything from tragic pantries to the secret double life of Mr. Clean. Let Roz and Jason guide you through their divine kitchen comedy as they ponder the fancy utensils that will never be used, the recipes that will never be followed, and the dream kitchens that exist only on the astral plane, which is maybe for the best.

Genres: Humor, Graphic Novels, Comics, Nonfiction, Food, Graphic Novels Comics

192 pages, Hardcover

Published October 6, 2026

About the author

Rosalind "Roz" Chast is an American cartoonist and a staff cartoonist for The New Yorker. She grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, the only child of an assistant principal and a high school teacher. Her earliest cartoons were published in Christopher Street and The Village Voice. In 1978 The New Yorker accepted one of her cartoons and has since published more than 800. She also publishes cartoons in Scientific American and the Harvard Business Review.

Chast is a graduate of Midwood High School in Brooklyn. She first attended Kirkland College (which later merged with Hamilton College) and then studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and received a BFA in painting in 1977. She also holds honorary doctorates from Pratt Institute and Dartmouth College, and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is represented by the Danese/Corey gallery in Chelsea, New York City.

Reviews

[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roz Chast and her co-author Jason Katzenstein, both cartoonists, discuss their kitchens. It's been a very long time since a book made me laugh out loud, and I was grateful, since there's not much humor in the news nowadays. Clever cartoons and amusing text make this a must read for anyone who could use a laugh. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance copy, and for some much needed levity.

[Shannon A · Rating 5 out of 5]

What started over a cup of coffee soon spirals into all the horrors and humor of dealing with kitchens, appliances, figuring out whether the toaster should be on the counter or tucked away…and of course…what to make for dinner. Roz and Jason are witty and thoughtful and as always: laugh out loud funny.

[Brad Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chast and Katzenstein "Kvetch" about their kitchens. In the Bible belt, they'd call it "whinin' n' pitchin' a fit."
Whatever the term, the comics examine every irritant and oddity that come from the kitchen or the pantry.
Their complaints resonate with me, especially expired pantry items, poisonous items under the sink, overflowing tea bags that can't possibly be finished, weird ingredients, and many more.
These comics aren't laugh out loud funny, but they are a funny reality of existence, like much of the work from these comics. I have loved Roz Chast for many years, often clipping her work from The New Yorker.
I wouldn't have bought this myself, but I would appreciate a book like this as a gift.
It will bring a smile or laugh to many.

[Holly Ristau · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I'm a huge Roz Chast fan and this one made me laugh once and a while, but it definitely doesn't compare to "Can't we talk about something more pleasant?" There were many observations made in this book that could have come from my own kitchen. Still worth reading!

[Meredith Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC courtesy of the publisher.

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was funny and the art was ok.

For the rest of the review, visit my Vlog at:

https://youtube.com/shorts/re35K3Zp3q...

Enjoy!

[Fran Baxter-Guigli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed out loud (especially when the page hit home). Will be sending a copy to my friend's daughter who loves to cook.

[Tenli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I giggled my way through.

[Bloomsbury Publishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

they cooked

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway. The illustrations are fun and full of life. I enjoyed reading all of the comics and thought they were all mostly funny. It's a fun kitchen table book.