Hydrophobic reduced graphene oxide supported Ni-B-P-O and Co-B-P-O catalysts were synthesized by a chemical reduction method and these dispersed relatively well in a non-polar solvent, prevented contact with water, and consequently protected the active phases and exhibited high catalytic activity in the liquid-phase p-cresol hydrodeoxygenation reaction: both the conversion and deoxygenation degree were higher than 99% at 225 °C for 1 h.