Today, Apple TV announced “The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina,” a new eight-episode unscripted food series starring and executive produced by award-winning comedian, writer, and actor Nora Lum, aka Awkwafina (“Quiz Lady,” “The Farewell”). In the series, Nora embarks on a deeply personal cross-country journey as she explores contemporary Asian American cuisine, starting with her family’s remarkable legacy.
Nora’s family ran Lum’s, the iconic Cantonese restaurant in Flushing, New York, and the very first in a now thriving Chinatown. But despite growing up in the family business, she can’t cook. At all. She could ruin an instant ramen.
“I’ve never been trusted around a kitchen, so I thank everyone involved for opening that part of my house up to me,” said Awkwafina. “Food has been a huge part of my family’s history, and to be able to explore and reconnect with that legacy has been an incredibly rare and very special opportunity.”
With help from acclaimed chefs, restaurateurs, and her characterful family, she travels the country to explore what it takes to master Asian food in the kitchen and whether she will ultimately reimagine Lum’s legacy for today.
The series is produced for Apple TV by Twofour and is executive produced by Lum, David Brindley, Itay Reiss, and Caroline Davies. This is the second collaboration between Twofour and Apple TV, following the celebrated, Emmy Award-nominated travel series “The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy,” starring Emmy Award winner Eugene Levy.
