As Hermione so endearingly reminds Harry and Ron at the beginning of the The Goblet of Fire, there are education options for wizards beyond Hogwarts. In fact, JK Rowling herself revealed that there are eleven prestigious wizarding schools around the world.
Being the foodie that I am, after learning about the other wizarding schools in the new Fantastic Beasts movies and online at Pottermore, I couldn’t help but wonder what students eat at the different schools. With magic and house elves on their side, there is a whole world of possibility beyond my ever-dissapointing college dining hall.
Here’s how wizarding students stay fueled for all nighters studying and long quidditch practices at each of the eleven wizarding schools worldwide.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
If you’ve watched the Harry Potter movies, I’m sure you’re familiar with the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Long tables laden with traditional British fare show up several times throughout the series. Every evening is a feast when the house elves cook roast beef, chicken drumsticks, shepherd’s pie, and yorkshire pudding to be washed down by a large glass of pumpkin juice.
Hogwarts students also have access to a huge variety of delicious treats such as Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, and Pumpkin Pasties when they travel the short distance to Hogsmeade and visit Honeydukes.
#SpoonTip: If you want to eat like a Hogwarts student, there’s even a cookbook full of recipes for inspiration.
Durmstrang Institute
Located in the far north of Europe, Durmstrang has a dark reputation. Unfortunately for students, the secluded location coupled with strong magical concealment charms means that food options are slightly limited.
Although you would need to have your memory erased after visiting, it might be worth the trip to see the beautiful views of a mountain lake. Meals would likely consist of hearty root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, coupled with fresh fish from the lake.
Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
Situated in the Pyrenees, Beauxbatons is home to a predominantly French student body, although some also come from Spain, Portugal, and Belgium. Beauxbatons has a much smaller student body than Hogwarts and Durmstrang, but an impressive list of graduates. The nightly menu would be limited to one or two beautifully prepared and plated French dishes plus a variety of charcuterie items. Oh, and the elves are sure to be talented pastry chefs.
Castelobruxo
Thanks to Fantastic Beasts, we have finally gotten a glimpse into life as a wizarding student on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Castelobruxo is hidden deep within the rainforest and accepts students from all over South America.
Their biggest meal of the day occurs late at night, as per the South American tradition, which usually features a large variety of local fruits, vegetables, and proteins. You’d always be an arm’s length away from rice, beans, fried plantains, roast meats, and hearty stews.
Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Ilvermorny is the wizarding school that I dreamed of attending as a child. It’s located in Mount Greylock, Massachusetts and attracts wizarding students from all over North America.
With a long history originating with Irish immigrants, Ilvermorny has plenty of old family recipes to draw upon. They rely heavily on hearty New England cuisine such as clam chowder, hot dogs, and pasta casseroles. One dessert that’s always on the menu is cranberry pie, as it was a favorite of one of the school’s founding figures, and also why the robes are cranberry and blue.
Mahoutokoro
This Japanese wizarding school is the smallest of the eleven. It stands atop a volcanic island called Minami Iwo Jima, believed to be uninhabited by Muggles. They dine on a meticulsouly-prepared menu of Japanese cuisine to best fuel the internationally-acclimaed athletes through their quidditch practices. Sushi is always on the menu, but there’s also miso soup and a variety of rice and noodle dishes.
Aagadou
The remainder of the eleven major wizarding schools are located across Africa, but the most famous and well-established is Aagadou. For the past 1000 years, students from all over Africa have traveled to “Mountains of the Moon” to get their education at Aagadou. Students would likely sit on the floor every night to a large family-style meal that’s sure to have rice, beans, maize, and heavily-spiced barbecued meat.
Even though I'm still waiting for my Hogwarts letter to come, now 8 years late, I am hanging in there by indulging in the foods that I know Harry, Ron, and Hermione enjoyed in the Great Hall. Not only can a wizarding school themed dinner be fun for long-time fans of the series, but it will also be delicious.