Food Network viewers and legions of Harry Potter fans are going to have an extra special holiday season this year with the premiere of new series, Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, onThursday, November 14 at 8pm ET/PT and globally on Max where the platform is available (with further broadcasters to be announced). Capitalizing on the enduring love for Harry Potter – a global phenomenon that continues to captivate people of all ages around the world – the ground-breaking series blends legendary storytelling and fantastical edible creations in a never-before-seen competition that will have audiences at the edge of their seats.
James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley) bring their exceptional charm and behind-the-scenes anecdotes as hosts of this most magical series, joined by esteemed, culinary judges, Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef. Across the six-episode season they will also be joined by special guests Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley) who will help in evaluating the competitors’ showpieces and also share their own film stories.
The competition kicks off with a super-sized episode in which nine teams of pastry chefs and cake artists are tasked to craft massive, spellbinding edible showpieces inspired by moments and themes from the Harry Potter saga. Each week, the culinary artists will design eye-popping creations not only to tantalize the taste buds, but that also offer surprising and enchanting, visual elements. Fans of Harry Potter will recognize many iconically familiar places, as the series was produced at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, including amidst the backdrop of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, on some of the original sets where Harry Potter’s journey was brought to life on screen. Contenders will have the unprecedented opportunity to present their creations in famed locations such as Platform 9¾, The Great Hall, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Diagon Alley, the Forbidden Forest and more.
“With Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, the confectionary magic coming this November is splendidly real and unlike anything seen before,” said Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery. “By tapping into the incredible fandom of Harry Potter, as well as that of Food Network’s holiday programming, it is a culinary competition that delivers on multiple levels with elevated culinary craftsmanship executed in an enchanted setting and airing during the most wonderful time of year.”
Teams competing are: Kimberly Adams (Milwaukee, MI) and Ashley Cardona (Charleston, SC), Lisa Altfest (Orange County, CA) and Mitzi Reyes (Los Angeles, CA), Hemu Basumatary (Katy, TX) and Riccardo Menicucci (Los Angeles, CA), Zoe Burmester (Brooklyn, NY) and Jordan Pilarski (Ojai, CA), Jess Lewis (Washington, DC) and Jamie Louks (Seattle, WA), Kayla Giddings (Lafayette, LA) and Yohann Le Bescond (Ocala, FL), Juan Gutierrez (Chicago, IL) and Elizabeth Rowe (Dallas, TX), Michael Russ II (Modesto, CA) and Conner Strackman (Smithville, TX), and Christopher Teixeira (Chicago, IL) and Miko Uy (Astoria, NY).
A group of lucky fans will have the opportunity to taste some of the competitors’ handiwork, and then, in the finale, the team who wins the competition will be awarded the first-ever Wizards of Baking Cup and will have the opportunity to appear in a new Harry Potter cookbook.
Harry Potter fans can follow #WizardsOfBaking on social to chat with fellow fans and watch tons of videos from behind the scenes in the wizarding world. Plus, hear from the Phelps brothers as they return to Hogwarts, meet all the special guests stopping by and get to know the teams competing in this magical baking extravaganza. Fans can also get Harry Potter-inspired recipes, like Sorting Hat Cupcakes and Invisibility Cloak Pumpkin Pie.
Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking is produced by Warner Horizon and theoldschool for Food Network. Warner Horizon’s Bridgette Theriault and Dan Sacks serve as executive producers with theoldschool’s Robin Ashbrook and Yasmin Shackleton.
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FOOD NETWORK (www.foodnetwork.com) is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers’ best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to more than 74 million U.S. households and draws an average of 50 million unique web users monthly with a social footprint of 71 million, while Food Network Magazine reaches 11 million readers. Food Network is part of Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes the world’s most differentiated and complete portfolio of content and brands across television, film and streaming. Available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Warner Bros. Discovery inspires, informs and entertains audiences worldwide through its iconic brands and products which also include: Discovery Channel, Max, discovery+, CNN, DC, Eurosport, HBO, HBO Max, HGTV, OWN, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Magnolia Network, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Warner Bros. Film Group, Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Bros. Games, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, Discovery en Español, Hogar de HGTV and others. For more information, please visit www.wbd.com.
About the Harry Potter franchise:
From the moment eleven-year-old Harry Potter met Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, his adventures have left an indelible mark on popular culture. Today, over 25 years later, the Harry Potter phenomenon thrives as one of the most successful and best-loved entertainment properties in history.
J.K. Rowling’s best-selling Harry Potter novels have been brought to life in an ever-evolving, interconnected universe which is loved by millions of fans worldwide. Eight blockbuster Harry Potter films and three epic Fantastic Beasts films bring the spellbinding action to life on screen, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child mesmerizes on stage, and state-of-the-art video and mobile games from Portkey Games allow players to experience the wizarding world like never before. Fans can proudly showcase their passion through innovative consumer products, and thrill at spectacular location-based experiences – including five theme park lands at Universal Studios locations around the world.
This expanding portfolio of Warner Bros. Discovery-owned Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts offerings includes ground-breaking touring experiences and events, each developed to celebrate special moments and locations that fans cherish, as well as the Platform 9 3⁄4 retail shops and iconic flagship store – Harry Potter New York. Wizards, Witches and Muggles alike can also discover something new as they explore behind-the-scenes secrets at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter.
With a new HBO Original TV series based on the Harry Potter books on the way, this extended world continues to provide the community with fresh and exciting ways to interact. For its global fans, and for generations to come, it invites everyone in to find the magic for themselves.
For the latest Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts news and features, visit www.wizardingworld.com
