The Big Tournament: An Interview with Illustrator Mathilde Van Gheluwe

Embark on a thrilling, delicious journey in The Big Tournament! Magda, a twelve-year-old chef earns a place in the prestigious Intergalactic Cooking Tournament with her exceptional dishes. The stakes of this tournament are much higher than a trophy: Nectar—a world-healing substance—is on the line. But during the tournament, Magda uncovers a galaxy-spanning conspiracy, and now it’s up to her to thwart an intergalactic political plot. Can this messy yet kind-hearted young chef whip up a recipe to save the galaxy?

Today illustrator Mathilde Van Gheluwe joins us to share the origins of this uniquely inventive and exhilarating sci-fi world, the technical challenges of its creation, and more. Keep reading for an exclusive preview!

How did you get the idea for Magda, Intergalactic Chef?

My writer Nicolas Wouters and I both came from the indie comics sphere, and I used to write and illustrate fanzines that were mostly eerie and revolving around imaginary slightly dystopian yet funny worlds. I told him about this idea of a world where French cuisine had taken over, and a desperate girl was trying to eat something different, like a hot dog. He came back to me the next day with the pitch for Magda, which convinced me on the spot.

What inspired you through the creation of this universe?

I read a lot of comics as a kid, but I remember being very moved by Jean Giraud’s Le Cristal Majeur and Wasterlain’s Docteur Poche. Later on I was immersed in the universe of Hayao Miyazaki, which had, especially for its political nature, a great influence on me. Nicolas Wouters and I also shared similar interests as kids for series such as Yuyu Hakusho, Hunter x Hunter, Sailor Moon and other animes, which dynamics were so thrilling and greatly encouraged us to make our trilogy as powerful as those.

What were the challenges of such a work?

The challenges were mostly technical. I had never worked in colors, never worked action scenes, and never worked in such a complex sci-fi universe. My previous books were straight out of art school, much more contemplative and most of all entirely made in graphite, black and white, in a very slow process. Magda’s trilogy needed to move faster, and I had to learn quick how to handle all of those new elements. I had the chance to share my studio with Michele Foletti, who greatly helped me navigate through this.

What do you hope readers will learn or discover from reading your book?

I hope they can grasp that 12-year-old kids are not supposed to save the world, which is a narrative we questioned through the trilogy, but I also hope they learn they can also disobey sometimes. They are their own persons.

What do you plan next?

To finish the Funky Town trilogy, first of all. I am also working with Michele Foletti on a paranormal mystery comic for the youth that is supposed to come out next year.

Praise for The Big Tournament

“A whimsical graphic novel in which a girl who hopes to be a great chef helps others in the process of pursuing her dreams.”—Foreword Reviews

“This Belgian import boasts wildly imaginative artwork, looking something like Spirited Away via Tintin: lush colors and crisp linework reveal inventive flora and fauna on every planet and architecture teeming with whimsy.”—Booklist

“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.”—Publishers Weekly

“A colorful and engaging graphic novel about a young girl who uncovers a nefarious plot and finds the courage to fight.”—School Library Journal

“Wouters is an ingenious storyteller, inserting mysteriously provocative hints throughout. . . In explosive full-color images, Van Gheluwe creates worlds bursting with imaginative flora and fauna. . . Author and artist embolden tenacious Magda, a vegan force of nature poised to save the whole galaxy.”—Shelf Awareness

Exclusive Preview

Connect with the Illustrator

Mathilde Van Gheluwe was born in Belgium. She studied illustration at the Institut Saint-Luc in Brussels, then at Luca School of Arts in Ghent. After graduating, she published independent comics within the Flemish collective Tieten met Haar. Her first graphic novel Pendant que le Loup n’y est pas, written and illustrated alongside Valentine Gallardo, was published by Atrabile in 2016. Her second comic, the highly acclaimed Funky Town, was published in English by Peow Studio. She lives in Brussels, Belgium.