26 Mar 2026
CHEF RICK STEIN TO SHOWCASE THE FLAVOURS, STORIES AND REGIONS OF NSW IN NEW TV SERIES
A new six-part documentary series, Rick Stein’s Australia, will premiere Thursday, 30 April 2026 at 7.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand, showcasing six NSW regions through a new series filmed entirely in the state.
Across six one-hour episodes, Rick Stein’s Australia follows world-renowned chef and author Rick Stein as he retraces his early travels through New South Wales on a 5,000km road trip. Along the way, he meets chefs, producers, artists and local communities who reveal how migration, First Nations knowledge, heritage and place shape modern Australian food.
The series starts on the iconic Sydney Harbour and follows Rick’s journey to the Central Coast and further afield to NSW’s sparkling North Coast, before heading through the iconic NSW outback, onto the produce-rich Riverina region and finishing the journey at Rick’s “home away from home” on the NSW South Coast.
NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper, said: “Culinary tourism is a key contributor to the state’s visitor economy and New South Wales is home to incredible experiences for visitors, from the streets of the CBD to the food bowl of the Riverina.
Rick Stein’s deep dive into NSW’s rich and colourful food story will show global audiences the breadth and depth of experiences on offer and bolster NSW’s reputation as a culinary destination."
Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones, said: “Rick’s journey is a celebration of New South Wales – its coastlines, country towns and communities – and the way food can bring together culture, storytelling and experience. From Sydney’s multicultural dining scene to regional producers, First Nations custodians and sustainable seafood experiences on the Sapphire Coast, this is a series that will inspire audiences to plan their own NSW road trip,” said Jones.
Chef and author Rick Stein, said: “I first came to Australia at 19-years-old, and what I found here changed me. It was the beginning of my love affair with the people, the places and the food. Travelling around New South Wales for this series reminded me how much there is to discover – from the incredible diversity of Sydney to the beauty of the coast and the character of the inland. I hope audiences enjoy the journey as much as I did”
Natalie Edgar, SBS Acting Head of Network Programming said: “Rick Stein is beloved by SBS audiences for bringing out the heart of every community and cuisine. We’re thrilled to premiere Rick Stein’s Australia, which sees Rick retrace his steps from his first visit to NSW and rediscover the extraordinary food, people and stories along the way. The series is a celebration of Australian cuisine in all its richness - from First Nations knowledge to its diverse cultural influences and contemporary expressions. We can’t wait for audiences to join Rick on this journey.”
NSW Destinations and Experiences Featured in Rick Stein’s Australia
Episode 1 – Sydney
Rick returns to Sydney Harbour and explores the city’s evolving culinary identity, from dining and cooking with leading local chefs to discovering Chinatown’s influence, visiting Sydney’s Flemington Markets, and learning about native ingredients and modern Australian cuisine at one of Sydney Opera House’s restaurants.
Episode 2 – The Central Coast and Hawkesbury River
Travelling north of Sydney, Rick immerses himself in the region’s river, bush and ocean lifestyle, including experiences on the Hawkesbury River, an off-grid riverside cook-up in Spencer, ocean swimming at Umina Beach near Woy Woy, and foraging on Lake Macquarie.
Episode 3 – The North Coast
Rick journeys up the NSW North Coast through beach towns and hinterland communities on the way to Byron Bay, meeting multicultural communities, sampling local market fare, tracking down a classic meat pie stop, and exploring paddock-to-plate dining in Byron Bay.
Episode 4 – The Outback (Moree and Bourke)
Leaving the coast behind, Rick travels inland through the wide plains and huge skies of Moree and Bourke, experiencing the Moree Show, learning local social history, meeting First Nations leaders working with native grains, and visiting outback station life at the “gateway to the outback”.
Episode 5 – The Riverina
In the state’s food bowl, Rick explores the Riverina’s reinvention story through farming innovation, Italian migrant heritage, iconic local dishes and world-renowned wines – including a visit with the De Bortoli family – before revisiting classic Australian food discoveries along the way.
Episode 6 – The Sapphire Coast
In the final episode, Rick introduces viewers to the Sapphire Coast, his “home away from home”, travelling through the high country to the NSW South Coast, fishing with locals, kayaking on Pambula Lake, harvesting rock oysters and sea urchins, and exploring the future of sustainable seafood.
Produced by Southern Pictures, Rick Stein’s Australia was filmed over three months and supported by Destination NSW and Screen NSW.
Rick Stein’s Australia will premiere Thursday, 30 April 2026 at 7.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand.
ENDS
Note to editors: images of the series are available here.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Emma Page – Destination NSW
M: 0424 425 813
E: emma.page@dnsw.com.au
Caitlin Bowes - Southern Pictures
M: 0491943586
E: caitlin@southernpictures.com.au
Melissa Gravitis - SBS Publicity
M: 0426391139
E: melissa.gravitis@sbs.com.au
ABOUT DESTINATION NSW
Destination NSW is the lead agency for the visitor economy in the NSW Government – its champion and voice. Driving a whole-of-government approach to growth, Destination NSW shapes the sector through strategic research, policy leadership, stakeholder engagement, commercial partnerships, and targeted investment in experiences, business support, marketing and events.
ABOUT SOUTHERN PICTURES
Southern Pictures is an Australian independent production house, with a reputation for creating award-winning factual content for international audiences. Some of our slate include the original format, The Swap (SBS, Netflix) winner of the MIPCOM Diversify Television Award, ratings and AACTA award-winning Miriam Margolyes series (BBC2, ABC, Netflix) and the true crime series, Missing Persons Investigation (Nine Network, Fremantle International.