If you’ve ever seen ‘Harry Potter’ and are eager to try magical dishes like Butterbeer or Hagrid’s Harry’s ‘birth cake’, a new immersive theater experience might be for you.
Fork n’ Film is a dinner-movie event where guests are served a multi-course meal specifically tailored to the movie they are watching.
The Los Angeles-based company is expanding into New York, and while tickets can cost up to $300 per person, eight screenings in October sold out within hours.
During the event, perfectly timed dishes will be delivered to your table as they appear on screen, along with nods to the film such as bubbling drinks and golden snitches.
Owners Francesca Duncan and Nick Houston said they are shocked by the sensation their business has become, but understand why it has resonated with so many people.
“Some of our mealtimes are tied to home, family and love,” Houston told DailyMail.com. “Every person has had an experience where they watched a TV show or movie and wanted to eat what they saw on the screen.”
Viewers are treated to individual ‘Happy Birthdae Harry’ cakes during ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ at Fork n’ Film in Los Angeles
During ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ you can mix your own booze drink
Ratatouille anyone? The popular French vegetable dish is served during a ‘Ratatouille’ show
Fork n’ Film co-founders Francesca Duncan (left) and Nick Houston (right)
According to Duncan, the idea for the company came about while they were watching “Matilda” and the chocolate cake scene started playing.
In the scene, the character Bruce is forced by the school principal, Mrs. Trunchbull, to eat a huge pie by himself after stealing a single piece.
“That looks really delicious, I wish I could eat it or, or at least try it,” she said of her thoughts as she watched Bruce eat the now iconic chocolate cake.
From there, the couple brainstormed what they could do with their idea and how they could bring their vision to life for other hungry movie lovers.
“What if we created a restaurant or an experience where people could try their favorite dishes from movies,” Duncan said, describing their process for getting to Fork n’ Film.
After test runs in early summer, the company officially opened on the West Coast in June with “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”
While watching ‘Harry Potter’, viewers are treated to a multi-course meal where they can mix their own drinks and delve into Hogwarts’ famous celebration.
After its success there, Fork n’ Film released Disney’s ‘Ratatouille’ in LA.
During the screening of ‘Ratatouille’, a salad was served in a small bin and ticket holders had the opportunity to make Remy’s soup like the rat makes in the film.
They plan to show “Hocus Pocus” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” next.
According to him, both Halloween films sold out within minutes TikTok users.
“It’s surreal,” Duncan said, adding that they still can’t believe the question.
Bone marrow and toasted baguette are served next to edible paper at the start of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’
Butterbeer is served during a Fork n’ Film screening of ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’
The big feast served when Harry first arrives at Hogwarts consists of chicken drumsticks, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob
The idea came about while the couple was watching the chocolate cake scene from ‘Matilda’
For Fork n’ Film, tables are set in front of a screen on a roof in Los Angeles
Remy from ‘Ratatouille’ greets a guest at Fork n’ Film Los Angeles. The menu includes Crème brûlée, Potage Paris (potato and leak soup) and of course ratatouille
During the screening of ‘Ratatouille’, a salad was served in a small bin and ticket holders had the opportunity to make Remy’s soup like the rat makes in the film
Champignon farci is served halfway through the film during the screening of ‘Ratatouille’
Duncan and Houston credited an influencer who posted about the company with their widespread and rapid success among film fans.
a TikTok video posted in early June by influencer @JenZLosAngeles went mega-viral, with more than 6.6 million views and 900,000 likes.
The video received around 5,000 comments from TikTok viewers sharing their own needs for tickets, along with requests for future films.
“I really want to go, but with a Ghibli studio film,” one person wrote.
“I want the burger from the menu movie,” another person said.
According to Houston, plans are in the works to fulfill both of the above requests within a few months.
Fork n’ Film is currently working on scheduling screenings of “Spirited Away” in January and “The Menu” sometime later, he said.
Additionally, Duncan and Houston said they hope to release “White Chicks,” “Matilda,” “The Princess and the Frog” and more foodie fan favorites.
In the near future, the company will be launching tickets for their Christmas movie screenings in Los Angeles, starting in November and running through January.
The couple said they carefully selected “Elf” and “Polar Express” and are eager for fans to try some of the interesting dishes they’re mapping out for the films.
In Will Ferrell’s Christmas comedy, his character Buddy at one point eats a bowl of spaghetti with maple syrup, chocolate syrup, M&Ms, marshmallows and a Pop Tart.
Tickets for those screenings are going for sale on September 8 at 5 p.m.
In November and December the cinema shows ‘Elf’. In the film, Will Ferrell’s character eats pasta with maple syrup, M&M’s, Pop Tarts, marshmallows and chocolate sauce
The main character from ‘The Polar Express’ drinks the hot chocolate from the film
“I want the burger from the menu movie,” one TikTok user shared
In addition to the chocolate cake in ‘Matilda’, Duncan said she always wanted to try the cake from ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and the pink custard from ‘Teletubbies’.
She said dishes like this inspire them to continue with their business and their dream of one day opening a restaurant that serves food from movies and TV every day.
In the meantime, they remain focused on opening Fork n’ Film’s New York City location, which opens in October.
If you’re looking to score tickets to a show in the Big Apple soon, you’ll need to stay on standby as all shows are currently sold out.
However, the venue that will host the “immersive culinary experience” in New York will be indoors and should be able to host guests year-round, they said.
Duncan and Houston said they hope to launch additional screenings soon, as well as in more cities, including Las Vegas, Miami and San Francisco.
In addition to the chocolate cake in ‘Matilda’, Duncan said she always wanted to try the cake from ‘Sleeping Beauty’.
Fork n’ Film also plans to host screenings of “Spirited Away” in January
To keep the screenings intimate, seating is limited to 50 people
While they work to add more showtimes for excited fans, the couple said they are still focused on keeping the shows small to give every guest a memorable experience.
“The goal is to keep it under 50 people,” Houston said. ‘To keep the boutique feeling, very intimate. If too many people join, it will be diluted.’
For Los Angeles, approximately 32 tickets are released per event, while New York City currently sells 45 tickets per screening.
As long as demand remains high, Duncan and Houston plan to keep the movies and dishes coming.
“There’s something people like about eating and watching a movie at the same time,” Duncan told DailyMail.com. “It’s just something people like to do.”