Link to full story: Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking Season 2 to Premiere on Nov. 2

Here are some pertinent excerpts including the judges, guest stars and who the bakers will be. So if you want to be surprised. Stop reading now.

Harry Potter fans are in for a treat as Food Network’s Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking returns for a magical new chapter this holiday season. Premiering Sunday, November 2 at 8 pm ET/PT on Food Network, the series will stream the next day on HBO Max and discovery+, and will roll out globally with additional info to follow on international dates and times.

The second season will feature even more spellbinding creations, enchanted elements, and baking wizardry as a new field of competitors embark on the experience of a lifetime.

In its freshman outing, the series ranked as the #1 non-news/sports cable program on Thursday nights for Adults 25-54 and reached more than 16.4 million total viewers across linear, HBO Max, and discovery+.

Returning hosts James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley) bring their charm, humor, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and are joined by esteemed culinary judges Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef, who bring their discerning palates and high expectations to the table.

Across the six-episode season, special guests Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), Afshan Azad (Padma Patil), and Devon Murray (Seamus Finnigan) help evaluate the competitors’ showpieces as they share their own stories from the films.

The teams competing include Alex Madrigal (Playa Del Carmen, Mexico) and Jenny Chambers (Salisbury, UK), Andy Ortega (Yonkers, NY) and Stefan Rose (Yorkshire, UK), Angel Figueroa (Denver, CO) and Rui Mota (Lisbon, Portugal), and Caitlin Taylor (Bowie, MD) and Jaleesa Mason (Bloomfield, NJ). There’s also Heather Tocco (Rochester, MI) and Kate Sigel (Nashville, TN), Marj Santaromana (Richmond, VA) and Sarah Arnold (Charleston, SC), Molly Robbins (Lancashire, UK) and Priya Winsor (St. Albert, Alberta, Canada), and Jujhar Mann (Surrey, BC, Canada) and Katie Bonzer (Orlando, FL).

The link has more information as well as a trailer and photos.

For Season 4 of Bobby's Triple Threat, I will continue to live-track the titan's stats at the following link (usually within a day of the episode airing).

Titan Tracker: https://triple-threat.vercel.app/
^includes results from S4 Ep1

The big change this season is that Tiffany is out and Ayesha is in.

Some notes in light of this change:

1. I've decided to keep Tiffany's stats in the tracker, but instead of being ranked amongst the other titans, she's now listed as NR - Not Ranked.

2. The rankings are based on winning percentage, not total number of wins.

Well, the season finale of Worst Cooks in America—and Anne’s final season—aired last night, and not a single post to be found. This was a show that at one point had a feverent following, to the point you would see multiple posts and hundreds of comments about each week’s episode. Now? Crickets.

It’s not hard to understand why, as the topic has been discussed on here ad nauseam: a focus shift from actual cooking and teaching techniques to the oversized personalities of the contestants themselves, favoring inane games and over caffeinated editing. But watching last night’s episode, I was struck by just how little the network actually cares about this show.

Back in the day, the finale actually meant something. There was an opulence, a grandness to it. There was a gradual build-up, the contestants’ family members even being flown out to participate in choosing who would compete. The finale itself involved intricate practice beforehand, and took place at a different location, a high-end restaurant in New York City. The network actually advertised the finale as an event. I had no idea last night’s episode was even the finale when I sat down to watch it. The previous week’s “On the next episode…” made no mention of it. The remaining four contestants did a random skill drill, and the final two were immediately chosen and basically thrown into the finale, where they cook in the same kitchen and feed some visiting chefs on a set next door. It’s so sad and pathetic. I’m sure it’s a budget thing, but it speaks to just how little the network cares anymore.

And there speaks to the bigger issue with the Food Network as a whole, a fact they seem to be ignoring: if they don’t care, why should the viewer? Watching last night’s episode of Worst Cooks was as patronizing and condescending and depressing an experience as the network has served up in awhile, but unfortunately, more common than not. There is just no excuse for the laziness on display in practically every venture foisted upon us.

Yet let it be said, Burrell never phoned it in. She held her head high through even the lowest lows thrown at her, and her legacy deserved better than this nothing of a finale that the network doesn’t even seem to want to acknowledge. Let this be the last we see of Worst Cooks.

I wonder this all the time. Sure, they wear gloves on occasion.. but they frequently touch meat, eggs, etc with bare hands and we never see them washing their hands? Am I the weird one unnecessarily washing my hands?

What really struck me was tonight on Grudge Match, 2 different chefs tasted food on a spoon.... and put it back into the bowl?! When you're serving other people, thats gross.

So what are the rules on sanitation for any show? Do producers intervene behind the scenes or just let it go?

Edit: Jesus. Im not saying we need to see every time a chef washes their hands. We don't see it happen, ever. Im wondering if it even happens.

Also, this thread is reminding me why I don't participate in potlucks. The lack of sanitation that people are okay with is wild.

Que could fix this whole “vegan” issue by just rebranding their options as dairy-free. They also have dishes that are vegetarian AND dairy-free. If you’re vegan, you’ll know what that means, and if you’re not vegan, you won’t care.

I remember hearing in the past that Guy handled the West Coast Wing of the FN and Bobby runs things on the East Coast. Does anyone want to venture a guess or has some real insight as to what kind of, or the extent of, Bobby and Guy’s relationship?

Well it begins tonight with the new Titan. Here is the FN description:

Episode 401

A new season brings with it a brand-new Titan, Ayesha Nurdjaja. Bobby Flay isn't taking it easy on this new Titan however, as he invites the winner of Last Bite Hotel, Chef Nini Nguyen, to challenge the Titans. Judge Daniel Boulud keeps the pressure high with his legendary palate.

I've been an avid FN watcher for years and I can't help to wonder why Cooks vs Cons (as well as Bakers vs Fakers) had such an abrupt ending. I loved both of these shows but it's weird how these shows, among many others, were canceled so soon.

Does anyone know is they confirmed next season for worst cooks? I mean we all know Anna made the show, but do we know if it was renewed?

Did anybody else catch this? Obviously the person in charge of spell check at Food Network didn’t lol

Anyone else have a favorite or top two truck that quickly became your least favorite based on ego’s and cockiness?

Season 16 I was a big fan of Khana in the beginning, they seemed like a genuine close knit team with a decent story. However the two girl’s absolutely ruined their authenticity with negative, hateful comments to other trucks. That season ended ok with some poetic justice. If only the Puerto Rican team could have come out on top because their story was incredible and they showed a lot of respect to other teams despite all their hardship.

Jumping to the current season I really liked Good Fortune at first. Their food and flavors looked amazing and they seemed pretty cool. Then you have that extremely awkward “shut me down again” flex/comment claiming they’re impossible to beat. Tyler for the first time that I can remember had to remind a team to be humble.

I enjoy healthy competition and I know ego’s in restaurant space is commonplace but certain examples in recent seasons have made the show a bit off putting. Sometimes that gritty/cheeky mentality makes a show better but in this setting I feel like it takes away from the shows wholesome undertone.

Hey all,

over the past month (august) i just binged the GGG from S12 and im currently on S33..

and i have some questions, i hope you guys dont mind sharing some insight.

What i dont understand is why the 'normal' episodes of GGG seem to have disappeared in later seasons.

I really enjoyed those, 4 ''normal'' (or ddd) chefs starting, while one is eliminated), but starting from season 30 its a lot of special tournaments, all stars or beat the judges and only 2-3 regular eps per season.. does somebody know why? or is guy just bored with the old format?

Also i dont like that round 3 is skipped after covid but i understand why cause with the new scoring-system, 1 chef is often 4-5 points in front of everyone else and to start a third round with such a huge gap is a pretty predictable watch.. (but they dont have enough material to fill an episode as guy often cooks along, why dont we see more of the jury deliberation?)

One other thing i noticed that Guy was sometimes mean to troy johnson especially when he wasnt on the judging panel, is that just for show? i mean im sure troy gets paid whenever he appears on GGG and if guy didnt want him, many other are available im sure..

Thanks for your time!

It seems he's always the first to get eliminated, while the judges nit pick more on his dishes, despite him presenting delicious food, and playing the game.

I'm noticing the last few days the Discovery Channrl streaming is acting up. For instance, I was half way through s18 ep 3. Went in to watch and it showed half way through ep 1. did the same with an old episode of Worst Cooks. Left off most recent season, ep 4 3/4 way through. Next day: ep 1 is showing the progress.

Sometimes watching shows, you just feel like these competitors need their own spinoff. Like they’re so different but fit together so perfectly. Occasionally, I wonder if someone met their person while competing against them.

Does anyone know (outside of the dreadful dating episodes) if competitors either started a business together or became a couple?

Here is tonight's description from the Food Network TV website:Truckin' Awesome: Yes, Virginia, There Is a Beach

Episode 1806

Host Tyler Florence leads the trucks to Virginia Beach, Va., where one team's past catches up to them despite their best showing in the race yet. The strongest competitors conspire against each other, one of them to great success. Another team struggles to prove they have what it takes to win.

Well I wonder what horrible past catches up with a team?

https://people.com/hunter-fieri-marries-tara-bernstein-wedding-exclusive-11798190

Just googled and there's really no new season this year (ever). My day is ruined and I'll be upset until Nov.

I know the show wasn't super popular and likely very expensive compared to other shows they produce. I'm still sad. Project Runway Pumpkins Edition has been a staple of my Autumn for years. 😞

I have to say that Beet Pasta Salad looked awful and made no sense!! Beets, pesto, Parmesan, some sort of thickened beet juice thing?

The concept was bad and her demo was so confusing. So many parts happening at the same time and none of it went together. Did she put the beet greens in the blender? It was going and going and going…

What was that thickened beet juice? And why were the pieces of beet so big? They were like half a beet each. And then putting the cheese on the beets BEFORE they are in the pasta?

When I make a pasta or regular salad, I make everything bite size so it mixes together.

Granted, I don’t like beets anyway but that was crazy. 🤪 I love Alex otherwise.

We have HBO Max, Discovery+ and Hulu and it's not on any of them. All Discovery+ has is 2 Halloween specials from season 13

First the speculation ---, considering that mid way through the season, Food Network moved this show out of Prime Time on Thursday nights to 5 p.m. (CST) makes me speculate that this show won't be returning. It seems like they did this with a few other shows that then disappeared, never to be heard from again. Fairly sure that this was the last episode, although they did run some of the shows out of order.

The spoilers, it was delightful to see Tim Gunn as the special guest judge. Some about his voice is just so smooth and calming. I thought all the couples seemed nice -- two older sisters, a mother and son and mother and daughter -- altho one of the sisters was a little bossy, but rightfully so. I got a kick out of the other sister being completely star struck by Tim Gunn.

The food all looked pretty good. Nothing that totally blew me away. I would have liked to see more from the team cooking Vietnamese food.

I would like to see FN bring Dook back, but let the man cook!!!!!

Food Network's Jeff Mauro at Bradley dining hall launch

EORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Bradley University is set to host a grand opening and open house for the new dining hall, with an appearance from a Food Network star.

The celebration, which will feature Sandwich King Chef Jeff Mauro, a Bradley Alumnus, and will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 11 at the Williams Dining Hall located at 821 N Duryea Pl., said university spokeswoman Libby Derry.

The new hall features more seating to fit more students, “modernized food stations” and a reimagined design to help with connection and give a sense of community.

“Williams Dining Hall has long been a place where students gather to share meals, ideas, and friendships,” said Bradley University President James Shadid. “This renovation reflects our vision of a premier student experience, by creating a welcoming, modern space where our entire community can come together as One Bradley.”

After the brief ceremony, guests can tour the new dining hall and enjoy the open house and even get a taste of the “Home of Da Brave” sandwich created by the Sandwich King, Derry said.

She said the event is free and open to the public.