A new culinary docuseries titled Kin and Kai has officially launched, offering viewers a rich, sensory journey through Papua New Guinea’s diverse food culture in celebration of the country’s 50th anniversary of independence.

This five-part mini-series, produced as part of the Australian High Commission’s Yumi Stap Wantaim (We Stand Together) campaign, is co-hosted by Papua New Guinean Chef Julz and Australian actor and producer Aaron Fa’Aoso, a proud Torres Strait Islander.

The series is now streaming online at yumistapwantaim.com, with new episodes released weekly via the Australian High Commission’s Facebook page.

Blending the warmth of home cooking with deep storytelling, Kin and Kai goes beyond the plate to explore themes of identity, memory, and connection.

Through shared meals and ancestral recipes, Chef Julz and Fa’Aoso highlight the cultural bonds that unite Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait Islands, emphasizing traditions that span generations and borders.

“Food is the thread that connects culture, memory and legacy,” said Chef Julz. “It’s how we honour our past and nourish our future. Kin and Kai is a celebration of identity. It’s about bringing our cultures together.”

Each episode showcases authentic PNG kaikai, with Chef Julz drawing on his family’s recipes and personal history. Fa’Aoso contributes his own heritage and curiosity, deepening the series' exploration of cultural overlap and shared roots.

“The connections between the Torres Strait and PNG stretch back over 65,000 years,” Fa’Aoso said. “These historical, familial, and cultural connections have woven a fabric that still binds us together today. Kin and Kai is a chance to listen, to learn, and to walk together through our shared past, as we walk side by side into the next 50 years.”

Kin and Kai serves as both a tribute to 50 years of Papua New Guinea’s independence and a powerful reminder of the enduring ties between communities across the region—offering stories that are as nourishing as the food itself.