She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat: Analysis and Review

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat is originally a web series written and illustrated by Sakaomi Yuzaki that began in January of 2021 and is still going. Today we will look at the first season of the television adaptation from 2022 (and I will also cover season 2 at a different time). 

The show is about Nomoto Yuki, a woman with a passion for cooking, she wants to cook bigger portions of food but being a single-person household she doesn’t get the chance to. That is until she meets her neighbor Kasuga Totoko, a woman with a huge appetite and love for food. The two soon develop a friendship centered around them cooking and eating delicious food. Slowly Nomoto begins to realize she has feelings for Kasuga, to her own surprise and shock. 

Hopefully that will be enough of a tease for you to go watch the show! From here on out there will be spoilers. 

The Characters:

Our main character is Nomoto, the show is mainly shown from her perspective and at multiple times we also get to hear her inner thoughts. What we immediately learn about Nomoto is her love for cooking, a passion that brings her great joy, as well as it being something she can share on social media. This is a hobby to her, something she does for herself. Yet the world around her keeps trying to center men, taking her hobby and telling her how good of a wife or mother she will be. Her co-worker remarking this (whilst he is lamenting another co-worker for buying her lunch instead of bringing a homemade one):

“You really need to learn more from Ms. Nomoto. Which brings me to, I’m sure you’re the type who’ll turn into a great mother, Ms. Nomoto." (Episode 1)

Despite the world, her co-worker and her mother all telling her that this will lead to a man, Nomoto rejects that idea:

“They always take my hobby, which I do out of passion, and frame it as something I could be doing for a man. That’s heart-breaking.” (Episode 1)

The first time she cooks for Kasuga, and she sees someone just eat and enjoy her food this has a profound impact on her, leaving her in tears as she thinks:

“My purpose for cooking is not because I want to be a great mom or be a great wife. I just really love to cook so many delicious foods, and have some say that it “tastes so good”.”  (Episode 1)

 “So, I’ve been searching all this time for someone who would polish off that dish with me.”  (Episode 1)

(Gifs from guzufuren on tumblr)

Nomto finds immense joy in her relationship with Kasuga, even before she realizes that her feelings are romantic in nature. It is so sad in episode 5 when she is talking to her mom about her plans to spend time with Kasuga, Nomoto is visibly excited but as the plans are with a woman her mom quickly dismisses it as not important.

“Her name is Kasuga. She lives in--”

“Oh, you’re just going to meet a friend?”

When she later in episode 6 tells her mom that she is spending New Years with Kasuga her mom replies with:

“You need to stop playing around so you can hurry up and find a good man already.”

Nomoto has never wanted to center men in her life, nor date them. It is only when she is talking with her colleague, Sayama, that she realizes that her feelings for Kasuga might be romantic. In the conversation Nomoto doesn’t mention Kasuga’s gender, and is very surprised when Sayama tells her that it sounds like she is falling in love (episode 7).

“They're a really nice person. They’re so cozy and they make me feel at ease.”

“Kinda feels like you’re in love, doesn’t it?”

“Love…?”

It is after this that Nomoto begins to think about her childhood and how other girls had crushes on boys, and in high school how her friends began to date but she didn’t want to. She has a dream about her and Kasuga and how everyone is always pressuring her to date men, and she wakes up in tears. Nomoto goes to her kitchen and thinks: 

“It’s always been that way. When you are expected to be the same as everyone else. When people say it’s normal to be with a man. It made me feel uncomfortable. I’ve certainly been like that for a long time.” (Episode 8)

Feeling constantly out of place is exhausting, and Nomoto is exhausted. After she gets up from her kitchen floor Kasuga messages her if she needs anything, and Nomoto just has this quiet moment with tears in her eyes and a little smile. All those feelings that her peers get to experience through childhood and teenage years, she finally gets to experience that in adulthood.

“I don’t want to ignore my feelings anymore. Even if no one agrees with me, it doesn’t matter. I like Kasuga, and I like the moments when I’m with her. Because, deep in my heart, I’m sure about it. That I’m in love with a girl. I’m in love with Kasuga. And that’s okay.” (Episode 8)

Higa Manami plays Nomoto and does a fantastic job. Every mannerism and movement brings Nomoto to life, I especially appreciate how Nomoto moves, her every movement is with such care. It matches with her love for food and cooking, her being always deliberate in her movements. Higa is also phenomenal in how she plays the way Nomoto slowly falls for Kasuga, the way Nomoto looks at Kasuga with so much emotion is breathtaking. 

Kasuga:

Whereas Nomoto loves to cook, Kasuga loves to eat. It is the first thing that the audience, as well as Nomoto, learns about her. She has a true and deep joy for food and for eating. She doesn’t say much, but as the show continues she begins to evolve. 

The first scene we see from the perspective of Kasuga, is when she during her workday goes out to eat lunch. She orders the same meal as the man sitting next to her, but when it is served she is given a smaller portion of rice (episode 1).

The chef saying: “As for your rice, I kept it in a small portion for you.”

Kasuga replying: “Well. I’d like a regular portion.”

From Kasuga’s perspective we see how food is used to separate men and women, so it makes sense that when Nomoto freely offers her food and is enthusiastic about her eating, that it means so much to Kasuga.

Kasuga is an extremely caring and thoughtful person, throughout the show we see how she is always willing to take care of Nomoto. Both when she offers to pay her half of the grocery budget (episode 2):

Nomoto: “I don’t think I’m good enough to be paid.”

Kasuga: “Nomoto, I think giving back the cost of the food is the simplest way to compensate you for the value of your hard work.”

And in the same episode she comes by when she learns that Nomoto is ill with her PMS, Kasuga suggests Nomoto go to a gynecologist if her PMS is affecting her this hard, which Nomoto brushes off. Kasuga then says:

“That’s a dangerous way of thinking.”

Kasuga also says: “Sometimes, you just have to admit when it’s too much for you.”

Nomoto: “I see. You’re right.”

“I think you’re fine the way you are. No two women are the same.” (episode 2)

Kasuga is a very just person, and a person who takes care of others (as seen in the examples above), this is in contrast to the way she was raised. Kasuga was raised in a very patriarchal household, where she was always treated worse than her little brother:

“We’re a very conservative family. When I was a little girl, I didn’t think much of it. As I grew older, I began to notice. How there was a gradual difference in our meals. Or how I would get scolded when I asked for something that my father shared with my younger brother. My younger brother would only be playing around, and I was the only one made to help in the kitchen. After that, I began to wonder why there was a hierarchy within the family. I was always hungry.” (Episode 6)

“Even though my mom’s cooking was always good, the toast I ate that day was truly delicious. Why should I feel so miserable eating such delicious food? There are so many delicious foods out there in the world, so will I keep eating food at this place forever? … was what I thought.” (Episode 6)

When we are told how Kasuga grew up, with food being directly tied to how her and her brother were valued differently, it makes all the more sense why she always speaks up for other women. Her deciding not to return home is such a strong decision and shows her choosing her peace, over the expectations of her family. 

Nishino Emi is fantastic in her role as Kasuga, it takes skills to bring so much personality to a character who speaks very little. We don’t get the benefit of hearing Kasuga’s thoughts very often, so much of the communication regarding her emotions are on Nisihino’s shoulders, and she certainly stepped up to the plate. Right from the get go I fell in love with Kasuga, and that would not have happened without all the little details Nishino brings to the role.

The Romance

If you are used to the high intensity spicy romances that we see a lot in Thai GL, you might be slightly disappointed with the romance in ‘She Loves to Cook She Loves to Eat’, as here in season 1 there is no confession of love or as much as a kiss. This does NOT mean that it is not a romantic show, the romance is just slower and focussed more on the little things. This makes perfect sense considering that the show also focuses on Nomoto figuring out her sexuality, the show literally ending with her accepting her feelings for Kasuga.

But that is not to say that there are not plenty of moments which show these two getting closer together; the looks they gave each other, the small smiles, Kasuga giving her jacket to Nomoto and the detail of Kasuga always carrying the majority of the shopping bags - all that was enough for me to swoon. 

During their heart-to-heart where Kasuga tells Nomoto about her upbringing, Nomoto begins to cry at the unfairness. The two of them sit opposite each other at the table and simply exchange these words:

“I’m really happy I met you Kasuga!”

“I feel the same way too.” (Episode 6)

These words hold so much more meaning in a show such as this, a show that truly takes its time in developing the feelings of the characters. We are shown that Nomoto is truly in love with Kasuga, but as we aren’t shown Kasuga’s feelings as often we are only left to wonder if the feelings are mutual. But I’m quite convinced, with Kasuga in episode 10 thinking:

“Maybe that’s why, when I’m with Nomoto, the scenery I’ve been seeing looks a little different now.”

That night Nomoto falls asleep on the couch and Kasuga covers her in a blanket before falling asleep next to her with a small smile on her lips - if that is not indicative of a romance blossoming I don’t know what is.

(Gifs from singinprincess on tumblr)

The Themes

Whilst the show is certainly about cooking and romance, it also does wonderful job at highlighting larger issues such as sexism and homophobia, without it ever feeling ‘preachy’. It hits you in smaller moments baked (excuse the pun) into the show, such as when they speak on how difficult it is for women to get a pay raise (episode 2) or when Kasuga points out: “Japanese women sleep the least hours out of every developed country.” (episode 5). 

‘She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat’ cleverly uses food to show the way men and women are treated differently. This happens when Kasuga is served less rice in a restaurant (episode 1), Nomoto’s hobby of cooking is seen as something she should be doing for a man (episode 1), and in all of Kasuga’s backstory (episode 6). 

The show also highlights how lack of queer representation can impact someone who is figuring out their sexuality. Nomoto didn’t encounter queer people in her childhood, teenage years or as an adult, this - in my opinion - exacerbated her feelings of isolation. When she sees examples of queer people, it has a profound impact on her. In episode 7 Nomoto passes by an add for alcohol that features multiple queer couples, this is what leads her to go home and search “the definition of romantic feelings”, and look for more examples of women who have fallen in love with other women. Representation matters. When she later speaks to Sayama, Sayama speaks of a university friend who is a lesbian. Nomoto explains that such a thing would be unthinkable in her hometown (episode 9). 

Sexism and homophobia does not have to be in the extremes for it to make an impact on a person, sometimes it’s a death by a thousand cuts. In every space Nomoto and Kasuga exist in they meet some form of sexism and homophobia, even when it is not obvious. It can be as small as a comment from a co-worker or a chef at a restaurant, but when you combine all those little comments it can become unbearable. 

But! ‘She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat’ is not a show that leaves you hopeless and depressed. Yes, there are multiple instances of sexism and homophobia, but there are also many examples of support. The next time Kasuga and Nomoto goes back to the restaurant from episode 1, they are now given the option to pick their rice portion (episode 10). Kasuga making that one comment did bring about change. Nomoto’s colleague, Sayama, is both supportive and not fazed by the idea of Nomoto having feelings for a woman:

“It didn’t really cross my mind as to which it was. I thought you seemed to be so in love and having fun. I didn’t really think much about the gender of the other person.” (Episode 9)

Conclusion

‘She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat’ is an honest and uplifting show, it highlights issues in Japanese society, but it also shows multiple moments of light and support. All of that comes together to make an impactful show. For all of these reasons it is one of my favorite shows. The only criticism I have is I would have loved for the show to go even deeper and build upon its world (something it does in season 2). My rating ends up being: 9.5/10.