More and more celebrities are venturing into the world of pet products, from Food Network chefs like Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, and Martha Stewart to TV stars like Dr. Pol and even Kaley Cuoco from The Big Bang Theory. One of the more recent celebrity pet food lines to hit the market is Kismet, a dog food brand developed by multi-grammy-winner John Legend and actress Chrissy Teigen.

Kismet means fate or destiny, with Teigen and Legend picking this name to celebrate the bond between humans and their dogs. "We believe you and your dog were made for each other. Your bond isn't a stroke of luck or a random coincidence– it's something bigger. It's Kismet." Teigen says.

Kismet makes dry dog foods mixed with freeze-dried chunks featuring no animal by-products, corn, wheat, or artificial preservatives. On paper, Kismet looks like the real deal — but does Kismet live up to the hype? Read on for Wag!'s full Kismet dog food review!

Currently, Kismet offers two dry food recipes that meet AAFCO guidelines for all life stages (meaning they're nutritionally complete from puppyhood and beyond!) These recipes are available in 9 or 19 lb bags and contain a mixture of extruded kibble and freeze-dried pieces. Let's delve a little deeper into these options!

Kismet's slogan is "bringing extra to the ordinary," and all things considered, its recipes are pretty solid! The first thing we see on the ingredients list is real chicken meat, which we love since it is a high-protein, low-fat option.

The second ingredient is chicken meal, which, to some, is controversial. Chicken meal contains leftover skin, meat, and bones, that are rendered at high temps and ground into a powder. Chicken meal is a protein-dense and cost-effective ingredient; however, it is heavily processed.

Moving on, we see a variety of fiber-rich grains like brown rice, barley, and brewers rice, which help with healthy bowel movements and keep your woofer feeling full between meals. 

Other ingredients of note include turkey meal, a variety of dried fruits, and veggies like apples, kale, and cranberries for extra fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients. We also like that Kismet adds salmon oil and probiotics, which will help with sensitive tummies and add extra shine to the coat. 

Having two different forms of rice might indicate ingredient splitting, but otherwise, the ingredients list looks pretty good.

The website didn't feature much info on the "freeze-dried nugs" in this recipe, so we contacted Kismet's support team to learn more about them. The rep we spoke with stated, "the ingredients in our freeze-dried nugs are raw, allowing them to retain the natural nutrients found in raw foods." (We were impressed with how responsive and friendly customer support was!) 

Raw pet food is super trendy right now due to the minimally processed ingredients; however, these foods do come with an increased risk of food-borne pathogens (it's worth noting this can occur with fully cooked recipes as well.)

For those curious about the macros for this recipe, the protein, as factored on a dry matter basis, is around 28%, and the fat content is around 16.5%.

The Salmon & Brown Rice Recipe is very similar to the Chicken & Barley version, except the fresh chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal are replaced with fresh salmon and fish meals. One other difference is this recipe includes canola oil instead of chicken fat as an omega fatty acid source. 

Even the macros are the same, coming in at 28% protein and 16.5% fat. It's worth mentioning that the freeze-dried nugs in this recipe are made with beef, so it isn't suitable for pups with beef allergies. 

Kismet has five tasty treat options for its canine clientele. Kismet’s Slow Cooked Sticks and Squares come in two flavors: beef and salmon. These limited-ingredient chews are made with whole foods like beef, salmon, plasma, berries, and pumpkin. The salmon recipe features chicken (not listed in the recipe name), so keep this in mind if your pet has poultry allergies! Both flavors also contain soy, which is controversial in the eyes of some dog parents.

The sticks and squares have identical recipes — the only difference is the food form — with the sticks being better for gnawing and the squares, which are more like dog biscuits.

Kismet also offers Freeze-Dried Beef and Sweet Potato Nugs, which come in 1-oz bags and are paw-fect for long car rides or trips to the park. The best part is that these crispy morsels contain just three ingredients: beef, sweet potatoes, and vitamin E!

We're rather impressed with the ingredients list on Kismet's kibble. Both recipes feature real meat (like chicken or salmon) as the first ingredient and omit low-quality fillers like corn and wheat. The recipes also support gut health with prebiotics and probiotics to help digestion and nourish sensitive tummies.

Creating a complete and balanced pet food that checks all the nutritional boxes is a science — that's why we always recommend a vet-formulated recipe. Kismet's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Kwane Stewart, is involved with the development of all of Kismet's dog foods. We even awarded this brand an extra half-paw for the expert-developed formulas!

If your fur-baby decides they don't care for Kismet dog food, reach out to customer support! Kismet offers a money-back satisfaction guarantee on all dog food products. (Side note: we emailed Kismet customer support for additional info, and they are super responsive!)

We love a company that gives back, and Kismet does just that! A portion of all Kismet proceeds is donated to Project Street Vet and Paws for Life. Project Street Vet is a 501 (c) created by Kismet's Chief Veterinary Officer that is dedicated to accessible vet care for unhoused people or those without stable housing, ensuring that these animals get the medical attention they deserve.

According to Kismet's website, Paws for Life is a "non-profit public organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating dogs from high-kill shelters [by] providing them with medical care, training, and fostering until they can be placed in loving forever homes." 

This organization also has a second program, The Paws for Life Prison Program, which "Relieves overcrowded shelters by sending dogs to prisons for training and socialization, increasing their chances of successful adoption. This hallmark program evolved to include training service dogs." Dr. Stewart even won CNN's Hero of the Year award for his work with these charities.

Most of the time, high-quality recipes aren't exactly budget-friendly, and this is the case for Kismet. At the time of writing, the 9 lb bags are $49.99, while the 19 lb bags are $89.99, although you can save up to 35% on your first order with Chewy Autoship. 

Kismet only has two dog food options, which isn't a lot of variety for picky eaters or pups with allergies. Likewise, they don't have any grain-free recipes. This is still a very new brand, so Kismet may roll out more products in the future.

We noticed that a couple of products had meat proteins on ingredients list that did not appear in the recipe name.  For instance, Kismet's chicken kibble contains turkey meal, which is not specified on the front of the package. Likewise, the slow-cooked salmon treats feature chicken, which is not listed on the front label. We feel that this could pose an issue for pets with allergies. 

"Super picky, with a sensitive stomach is how I would describe our 80lb dog when it comes to his food. We have tried a numerous dog foods, including veterinary prescription diets, only to have to return or give away due to digestion issues or he simply would refuse them. When I read the ingredient list for Kismet Chicken and Barley with Freeze-Dried Nuggets, we decided to try it for Mr. Picky Palette. Kismet Chicken and Barley includes pre and probiotics, as well as freeze dried chicken/sweet potato nuggets. We also like the fact that this food has grains (barley) to help prevent heart disease. But best of all he LOVES it!"

"My pup is a picky eater and eventually gets tired of eating her food. I've tried so many brands before getting Kismet. When I fed her Kismet she devoured it and still eagerly eats it a month in. Her poops are better too. The only con is ratio of freeze dried nuggets is a little low. I'll scoop food out of the bag and there won't be any nuggets sometimes."

Read more reviews on Chewy.

Award-winning vocalist John Legend and his wife, model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen, launched this dog food brand on May 1, 2024.

The brand stemmed out of their combined passion for clean nutrition and dogs. In an interview with People Magazine, Teigen shares, "It's important for our kids to eat clean and well and feel nourished and fulfilled, but also to get the nutrients they need all the time. And our dogs are just as important as that."

This business venture was a dream of the celebrity couples for 5 years before it came to fruition, and their beloved dogs Penny, Petey, Pearl, and Pebbles served as a taste-testing board for the products. With the help of chief veterinary officer Dr. Kwane Stewart, Legend and Teigen developed the two signature kibble recipes and a line of beef and salmon treats.

There have been no Kismet dog food recalls as of April 2025. As with all of our product guides, we will update this page if this changes.