When my husband DM V and I started the Netflix adaptation of Dungeon Meshi, or Delicious in Dungeon, we didn’t realize it was going to be such a treat. If you’re not familiar, Dungeon Meshi is a captivating fantasy manga crafted by the talented Ryoko Kui. It revolves around a group of adventurers braving an intricate dungeon to save their leader’s younger sister.
It’s also hands down one of the best D&D-like anime out there. It even joins the ranks of modern fantasy greats like Frieren, Grimgar, Re:Zero, DanMachi, and KonoSuba.
But what makes Dungeon Meshi shine is its simplicity done well. Though the surface seems straightforward with its setting and characters, there are layers of complexity waiting to be discovered. Ryoko Kui’s secret sauce? Sauce. Literally.
Food actually serves as a narrative tool to delve into the characters’ stories, the dungeon’s ecosystem, and the cultural backdrop of the world.
From Dungeon Meshi to D&D
As a DM or Dungeon Master, DM V was heavily inspired by this approach. He wants players to explore their setting through the lens of food and really think about the monsters’ roles in the ecosystem. Here’s the challenge, though: most players aren’t as intrigued by world-building intricacies. At least not beyond the basics of gods, history, politics, power, and, of course, loot (unless they’re like me, a lore muncher).
DM V wants to change that. So he creates a 5e homebrew subclass that incentivizes players to dive into various world-building details by offering mechanical advantages through food. A subclass that challenges fellow DMs to consider their setting’s ecology and culinary culture.
And he explains it all here! From his inspiration and design goals to features and mechanics that let any player play like Senshi in a dungeon, cooking up monsters for a party to enjoy!
After all, food is more than just sustenance. It’s the environment, the struggle, the conflict, the history, and the culture—all served on a plate.
Monster Cooking in D&D – D&D 5th Edition Artificer Subclass
The Culinarist is a homebrew subclass inspired by Senshi from Delicious in Dungeon. It contains a full Artificer subclass centered around cooking that grants party buffs. There’s also a section filled with 80+ ingredients used by the core features. There are even a few magic items thrown in for good measure!
Clicking the link leads you to a downloadable clean version that helps support the DM V’s YouTube channel. It’s where he hosts the Husbando Homebrew show, where he puts pop culture to pen and paper so any player and DM can bring their favorite characters to D&D.
If you want to see the full document for free, there’s a link in the description for a free download! And hey, send him a duck emoji in the comments if this is where you first hear about the Culinarist subclass!
If you enjoyed this subclass, check out how you can play Hibino Kafka through DM V’s Kaiju No. 8 D&D homebrew or how to bring Kamen Rider W to your D&D table!
