Neat and Less-Well-Known

Don't be put off by the less-than-eight stars.

Not a cliched cooking-is-magical story, but a sincere and engaging tale of a young man working hard from the bottom to learn the skills and attributes of a successful chef.

One that really ended properly and satisfyingly.

This manga begins with the story of a significant encounter between the teengaged MC and a childhood friend, which changed the way he played and viewed soccer. It proceeds to tell disparate stories from various (non-chronological) stages in the MC's career, often about other characters who cross paths with the MC and their own significant events.

It's not a typical sports manga, but it is a thoughtfully-told story that doesn't try to be more than it is.