Awkwafina Series Premieres With New York Screening

Apple TV's eight-episode documentary follows Nora Lum as she works to revive her family's Chinese restaurant, Lum's.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Chinese Food

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a plain ceramic noodle bowl and wooden chopsticks on a lacquered red table under soft warm light, evoking a family restaurant's quiet warmth. — Apple TV premiered the eight-episode documentary series Awkwafina: The Unlikely Cook, which follows Nora Lum as she works to revive her family's Chinese restaurant, Lum's. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you subscribe to a streaming service for $14.99 a month?

Apple TV premiered the documentary series Awkwafina: The Unlikely Cook with a tastemaker screening at the Crosby Street Hotel in New York City. The series follows comedian Nora Lum on a culinary road trip as she attempts to revive her family's Chinese eatery.

Why it matters

The series centers on a personal family story tied to Chinese restaurant culture, offering a window into the role immigrant family eateries play in American food life. Its release on a major streaming platform gives viewers a new way to engage with that history.

The Apple TV app is available in over 100 countries and regions and on over 1 billion screens. New episodes are released weekly, and the series is available through the Apple TV app and other supported devices.

The players

Awkwafina

Nora Lum, known professionally as Awkwafina, is a comedian and actress who hosts and executive produces the series.

Apple TV

Apple TV is the streaming service owned by Apple that distributes the series globally.

Twofour

Twofour is the production company that produced the series for Apple TV.

The details

Nora Lum, known as Awkwafina, serves as host, executive producer and subject of the series, which was produced for Apple TV by Twofour. It is the second collaboration between Twofour and Apple TV, and the premiere was followed by a reception at Phoenix Palace in New York City.

Premiere screening and reception held on November 6, 2026 in New York City.
New episodes of the series are released weekly on Apple TV.

Culture Shift

This series extends the Twofour and Apple TV partnership, which began with their first collaboration, into a personal food documentary. The project reflects a broader streaming trend of building food and culture content around individual creators' family stories.

The series streams on the Apple TV app for $14.99 per month, with a seven-day free trial available to new subscribers. Viewers can watch it on the Apple TV app and other supported devices, with new episodes arriving weekly.

The takeaway

For readers interested in family food histories, the series shows how a single restaurant can carry generations of memory. Checking the Apple TV app's free trial is a low-cost way to start watching.