The Big Tournament (Magda, Intergalactic Chef #1)

In this promising series starter, Wouters and Gheluwe dish up a delectable sci-fi adventure that draws parallels to Food Wars! and The Great British Bake Off. Living on Azuki, one of many vibrant landscapes within a biodiverse cosmos, 12-year-old culinary wunderkind Magda must represent her home planet in an intergalactic cooking contest for children in which participants compete for Nectar, a limited resource pivotal to planetary restoration. But the competition is waylaid by a sinister conspiracy, one that may be the cause of the planets’ apparent disrepair. Wouters balances high-stakes competition that explores themes of sustainability, cultural heritage, and self-discovery with intimate character moments between Magda and her supportive grandmother—herself a former tournament contender—and kindly competitor Hector. Gheluwe pairs imaginative depictions of alien ingredients and futuristic kitchen tools with expressive character designs; dynamic compositions heighten both the tension of time-bound cooking challenges and the joy of artistic expression, while color shifts underscore the story’s emotional beats. With its humor, inventive premise, and eco-conscious messaging, this graphic novel celebrates resilience and creativity. Characters are portrayed with varying skin tones. Ages 10–14. (Apr.)