Latest news with #Porowski
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Life advice: 'Queer Eye' star Antoni Porowski shares the best advice he's gotten — and the beautiful moment he'd live in forever
The treasure: Canadian lifestyle maven Antoni Porowski has become a TV fixture in the past few years, appearing as a food guru on Netflix's 'Queer Eye' and 'Easy-Bake Battle: The Home Cooking Competition' and hosting 'No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski' for National Geographic. The new thing: Porowski recently performed a non-alcoholic cocktail demonstration at the House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% pop-up in Yorkville, where car enthusiasts can check out the Scuderia Ferrari HP show car (on display in Toronto for the first time), and foodies can sample booze-free infusions and a driver-inspired pizza menu.
Time Out
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Antoni Porowski of ‘Queer Eye' shares his favorite NYC cheese finds, restaurants and more
Antoni Porowski, the 41-year-old star of Queer Eye 's reboot on Netflix, is extremely personable—even through a computer screen. Hopping on a video call to discuss the cheese rave that he recently hosted in NYC, Porowski quickly gets to talking about his childhood obsession with dairy—totally on theme—and his favorite restaurants in town, but he is also not embarrassed to bring up his extended Achilles' heel and his dislike for big dinner parties. More than an interview, chatting with Porowski feels like talking to an old pal about all the things that brought us together in the first place—making for an incredibly interesting conversation. Below, find some highlights, including Porowski's go-to bars and his tips for hosting in small NYC apartments. On his passion for cheese and where he likes to shop for the best "When I was a little kid, I would creep into the kitchen to find cheese. There is something decadent about it when it's perfectly cold. My favorite places to shop for cheese in New York are Murray's on Bleecker. I was recently blown away to find out that it operates counters in secondary markets as well. The Whole Foods on Bowery is also really good and I found interesting cheese at Happier Grocery. It's like a New York Erewhon, but a bit more decadent. I always like it when I see something and I have no idea what it is." On cooking and hosting in small NYC apartments "I spent seven or eight years living in a studio apartment in Brooklyn with one drawer in the kitchen. One or two burners only worked and I hosted dinner parties there. I would make risotto, soup, roast chicken: the place was a hot bed for creativity because I was limited. For whoever lives in a walkup with four roommates: lean into the confines because the irony is that I was much more creative because I had limited resources. A few tips: everyone should have a flat bottom spoons to scrape out pans: I don't even know why they make rounded ones. Everyone also needs a good pair of tongs and a properly enameled Dutch oven." On his favorite NYC restaurants "The best French omelette in New York City is served at Raf's. I was blown away by it: it's nice and oozy in the center, served with a bit of crème fraîche. Balthazar is also a nice spot when you have people visiting from our of town. The best scrambled eggs in town are made at Buvette, on the other hand, and you can order them with salmon or prosciutto that's cut a little thicker than usual with some beautiful sourdough. For lunch, I love a salad: I want fresh, color, vibrant, crunch. Via Carota does an outstanding job with a foot-tall salad made with really inexpensive ingredients. I also love a version of tortellini and brodo that Foul Witch serves. The menu there is weird in the best way possible, filled with a lot of unexpected things." On his go-to bars in NYC " Ray's is a cool little dive bar and if you want something higher-end there's Jac's on Bond. It is really cool and it closes at midnight. It's really cool and it closes at midnight, which is great. The food there is great also." On season ten of Queer Eye "It's official that casting has commenced. We don't know much more than that. During season one, Donald Trump was elected into office and now he's back and we're at season ten. I'm excited because we shoot in D.C. so I get to be close enough to New York to come home for the weekend."
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Where to try the food on ‘No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski'
In National Geographic's series No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski, six Hollywood stars follow the Queer Eye star on a journey through food and time as they travel through their ancestral homelands in search of family history. Starting with just one homemade family recipe, Porowski helps stars Awkwafina, Justin Theroux, Issa Rae, James Marsden, Florence Pugh, and Henry Golding connect with their pasts by eating foods that fed their ancestral lineages and exploring the places they once called home. (Related: Antoni Porowski wants you to learn about your ancestors—through their recipes.) With its roots in Northern China, jajangmyeon is among Korea's most popular dishes, available at thousands of restaurants across the world alongside dozens of instant and frozen versions at grocery stores. The dish, recognizable by its signature glossy, midnight hue, is a variation of the Chinese dish zhajiangmian that migrant workers from Shandong brought to Korea in the late 19th century. Jajangmyeon is a rich yet hearty dish, typically made with wheat noodles, ground or diced meat and/or seafood, vegetables (like zucchini or cabbage), and aromatics including ginger and garlic, and chunjang, the sweet-savory caramelized black bean paste that gives the dish its distinctive black shade. The dish is so well-known and beloved that it plays a starring role in the unofficial Korean holiday, Black Day, on April 14, when single people celebrate or commiserate their singledom with friends over a bowl of jajangmyeon. Where to try it in Korea: Almost anywhere. This dish is so ubiquitously known and loved that there are tens of thousands of places to find it in Seoul alone, but the Chinese restaurant Ehwawon (이화원) in Yeonhui-dong has been perfecting its silky version for three generations. (Related: Everything you need to know about bibimbap, Korea's famous rice dish.) Traditionally found in cities like Bologna and Modena in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, tortellini en brodo is a regional specialty, highlighting the quality and history of its ingredients. This dish should not be confused with tortelli (this dish's larger namesake), tortelloni (also larger but with different fillings and preparation), or ravioli (different shape, different fillings). Tortellini is pint-sized, barely an inch big, and folded into chubby rings stuffed with a mixture of meat, like prosciutto or mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and nutmeg. Once filled and folded, the tortellini is simmered in a golden broth made traditionally with capon, a castrated male chicken, or a mixture of chicken and beef bones and served to float in the savory soup. Where to try it in Italy: Some of the best examples of regional cuisine, including tortellini en brodo, can be found at Trattoria di via Serra or All'Osteria Bottega in Bologna. Both restaurants are mentioned in the Michelin Guide's Bologna Restaurants, with Trattoria di via Serra receiving a coveted Bib Gourmand award. (Related: Chef Angela Hartnett's guide to eating in Emilia-Romagna.) This okra and seafood stew is one of Western Africa's most popular dishes and is usually found in many of the countries along the Atlantic coast from Senegal to Guinea. Born from the region's rich fishing traditions, this stew uses a multitude of fish, fresh and dried shellfish, okra, peppers, and other aromatics simmered in candy-apple red palm oil. Once simmered and reduced, this thick stew is often served family-style over rice. Though this dish might be unfamiliar at first for many diners outside Africa and the African diasporas, you've likely eaten or heard of its later incarnation. If you've ever visited New Orleans or the Creole regions of the world, soupe kanja is the progenitor for one of this cuisine's most iconic dishes: gumbo. Where to try it in Senegal: In Dakar, the family-owned Chez Loutcha is a popular and colorful local haunt that serves Senegalese staples alongside Cape Verdian and other menu items. (Related: Drumbeats and heartstrings: tuning in to the rhythms of Senegal.) Chicken with mushrooms and bamboo possibly gets its influence from multiple sources. The first, manuk pansuh—or chicken cooked in a bamboo stalk with tapioca or cassava leaves—is a staple of Sarawak cuisine and is often prepared during festivals by the Iban and the Bidayuh peoples. The meat is typically seasoned with aromatics like torch ginger, galangal, and lemongrass before being stuffed into the bamboo. The second influence comes by way of Malaysia's significant Chinese population, which has existed across Malaysia and the Indonesian archipelago as early as the 13th century. Various versions of a dish featuring chicken with mushrooms and bamboo shoots can be found in both China and Malaysia and are made with ingredients that would be easy to source in the mountainous regions of both countries. Where to try it in Borneo: Serving Sarawak cuisine for more than a decade, Lepau Restaurant in Kuching showcases dishes from numerous indigenous communities, including Iban, Kelabit, Ulu, Bidayuh, and beyond, offering diners a rich entry point into this region's most celebrated foods. (Related: We are what we eat: Diving for dinner with the sea gypsies.) Like many recipes from the 18th and 19th centuries, shepherd's pie was a way for families with little money or access to expensive ingredients, like prime cuts of meat, to stretch what they had to feed the household. First referred to as cottage pie in the late 18th century, this dish has changed very little from its original recipe and still features many of the same ingredients. Ingredients for this British dish include ground beef or lamb/mutton (a fairly accessible ingredient for the sheep farming region in this dish's early days) and diced vegetables in a rich gravy. One of shepherd's pie's distinct identifiers is its pillowy mashed potato topping, which is spooned atop the hearty meat mixture and baked to crisp, golden brown perfection. Where to try it in the UK: The Ivy restaurant has posted its iconic version of shepherd's pie online for people who are unable to make the trip to the restaurant, located in London. (Related: Where you can find the best British pubs that serve food.) This simple and beloved Southern American diner classic has changed very little from its European ancestors. Similar to Austria's wiener schnitzel, chicken-fried steak is just that, typically a thin cut of beef, often a tenderized cube steak, dredged in flour and eggs before frying. The breading and frying technique gives the dish its signature name, though technically, pan-frying instead of deep-frying would make this dish 'country-fried'. German and Austrian immigrants who migrated to Texas in the 19th century and later became cattle farmers are believed to have brought chicken-fried steak to the United States. It's one of the tastes of home these communities carried with them to America, says rancher Jim Kearney. 'Food is the last thing to go,' says Kearney. 'That's what people hold onto as a symbol of their former life or wherever they came from.' Where to try it in Texas: Dallas' original farm-to-table Celebration Restaurant has perfected its grass-fed, chicken-fried steak for more than 50 years. Make sure to order it with the house specialty spicy jalapeno gravy. Samantha Bakall is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer specializing in equity-based storytelling and the AAPI diaspora in the Pacific Northwest. Follow her on Instagram.
National Geographic
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
Where to try the food on ‘No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski'
In National Geographic's series No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski, six Hollywood stars follow the Queer Eye star on a journey through food and time as they travel through their ancestral homelands in search of family history. Starting with just one homemade family recipe, Porowski helps stars Awkwafina, Justin Theroux, Issa Rae, James Marsden, Florence Pugh, and Henry Golding connect with their pasts by eating foods that fed their ancestral lineages and exploring the places they once called home. (Related: Antoni Porowski wants you to learn about your ancestors—through their recipes.) Jajangmeyon, Korea Jajangmyeon Photograph by Julia Gartland With its roots in Northern China, jajangmyeon is among Korea's most popular dishes, available at thousands of restaurants across the world alongside dozens of instant and frozen versions at grocery stores. The dish, recognizable by its signature glossy, midnight hue, is a variation of the Chinese dish zhajiangmian that migrant workers from Shandong brought to Korea in the late 19th century. Jajangmyeon is a rich yet hearty dish, typically made with wheat noodles, ground or diced meat and/or seafood, vegetables (like zucchini or cabbage), and aromatics including ginger and garlic, and chunjang, the sweet-savory caramelized black bean paste that gives the dish its distinctive black shade. The dish is so well-known and beloved that it plays a starring role in the unofficial Korean holiday, Black Day, on April 14, when single people celebrate or commiserate their singledom with friends over a bowl of jajangmyeon. Where to try it in Korea: Almost anywhere. This dish is so ubiquitously known and loved that there are tens of thousands of places to find it in Seoul alone, but the Chinese restaurant Ehwawon (이화원) in Yeonhui-dong has been perfecting its silky version for three generations. (Related: Everything you need to know about bibimbap, Korea's famous rice dish.) Tortellini en Brodo, Italy Tortellini en brodo Photograph by Food magic, Shutterstock Traditionally found in cities like Bologna and Modena in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, tortellini en brodo is a regional specialty, highlighting the quality and history of its ingredients. This dish should not be confused with tortelli (this dish's larger namesake), tortelloni (also larger but with different fillings and preparation), or ravioli (different shape, different fillings). Tortellini is pint-sized, barely an inch big, and folded into chubby rings stuffed with a mixture of meat, like prosciutto or mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and nutmeg. Once filled and folded, the tortellini is simmered in a golden broth made traditionally with capon, a castrated male chicken, or a mixture of chicken and beef bones and served to float in the savory soup. Where to try it in Italy: Some of the best examples of regional cuisine, including tortellini en brodo, can be found at Trattoria di via Serra or All'Osteria Bottega in Bologna. Both restaurants are mentioned in the Michelin Guide's Bologna Restaurants, with Trattoria di via Serra receiving a coveted Bib Gourmand award. (Related: Chef Angela Hartnett's guide to eating in Emilia-Romagna.) Soupe kanja, Senegal Soupe kanja Photograph by John Wendle, National Geographic This okra and seafood stew is one of Western Africa's most popular dishes and is usually found in many of the countries along the Atlantic coast from Senegal to Guinea. Born from the region's rich fishing traditions, this stew uses a multitude of fish, fresh and dried shellfish, okra, peppers, and other aromatics simmered in candy-apple red palm oil. Once simmered and reduced, this thick stew is often served family-style over rice. Though this dish might be unfamiliar at first for many diners outside Africa and the African diasporas, you've likely eaten or heard of its later incarnation. If you've ever visited New Orleans or the Creole regions of the world, soupe kanja is the progenitor for one of this cuisine's most iconic dishes: gumbo. Where to try it in Senegal: In Dakar, the family-owned Chez Loutcha is a popular and colorful local haunt that serves Senegalese staples alongside Cape Verdian and other menu items. (Related: Drumbeats and heartstrings: tuning in to the rhythms of Senegal.) Chicken with mushrooms and bamboo, Borneo Ayam pansuh or chicken cooked in bamboo) Photograph by Stella Putri PS, Shutterstock Chicken with mushrooms and bamboo possibly gets its influence from multiple sources. The first, manuk pansuh—or chicken cooked in a bamboo stalk with tapioca or cassava leaves—is a staple of Sarawak cuisine and is often prepared during festivals by the Iban and the Bidayuh peoples. The meat is typically seasoned with aromatics like torch ginger, galangal, and lemongrass before being stuffed into the bamboo. The second influence comes by way of Malaysia's significant Chinese population, which has existed across Malaysia and the Indonesian archipelago as early as the 13th century. Various versions of a dish featuring chicken with mushrooms and bamboo shoots can be found in both China and Malaysia and are made with ingredients that would be easy to source in the mountainous regions of both countries. Where to try it in Borneo: Serving Sarawak cuisine for more than a decade, Lepau Restaurant in Kuching showcases dishes from numerous indigenous communities, including Iban, Kelabit, Ulu, Bidayuh, and beyond, offering diners a rich entry point into this region's most celebrated foods. (Related: We are what we eat: Diving for dinner with the sea gypsies.) Shepherd's Pie, UK Shepherd's pie Photograph by Julia Gartland Like many recipes from the 18th and 19th centuries, shepherd's pie was a way for families with little money or access to expensive ingredients, like prime cuts of meat, to stretch what they had to feed the household. First referred to as cottage pie in the late 18th century, this dish has changed very little from its original recipe and still features many of the same ingredients. Ingredients for this British dish include ground beef or lamb/mutton (a fairly accessible ingredient for the sheep farming region in this dish's early days) and diced vegetables in a rich gravy. One of shepherd's pie's distinct identifiers is its pillowy mashed potato topping, which is spooned atop the hearty meat mixture and baked to crisp, golden brown perfection. Where to try it in the UK: The Ivy restaurant has posted its iconic version of shepherd's pie online for people who are unable to make the trip to the restaurant, located in London. (Related: Where you can find the best British pubs that serve food.) Chicken Fried Steak, Texas Chicken fried steak Photograph by Zerb Mellish, New York Times/Redux This simple and beloved Southern American diner classic has changed very little from its European ancestors. Similar to Austria's wiener schnitzel, chicken-fried steak is just that, typically a thin cut of beef, often a tenderized cube steak, dredged in flour and eggs before frying. The breading and frying technique gives the dish its signature name, though technically, pan-frying instead of deep-frying would make this dish 'country-fried'. German and Austrian immigrants who migrated to Texas in the 19th century and later became cattle farmers are believed to have brought chicken-fried steak to the United States. It's one of the tastes of home these communities carried with them to America, says rancher Jim Kearney. 'Food is the last thing to go,' says Kearney. 'That's what people hold onto as a symbol of their former life or wherever they came from.' Where to try it in Texas: Dallas' original farm-to-table Celebration Restaurant has perfected its grass-fed, chicken-fried steak for more than 50 years. Make sure to order it with the house specialty spicy jalapeno gravy. "No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski" is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Samantha Bakall is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer specializing in equity-based storytelling and the AAPI diaspora in the Pacific Northwest. Follow her on Instagram Inspiring exploration for over 130 years Subscribe now a get a free tote SUBSCRIBE
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Antoni Porowski explores how food can tell you about your heritage
Antoni Porowski believes in the importance of storytelling through culinary traditions. The child of Polish parents who immigrated to Montréal, he 'felt Polish enough' until the family moved to West Virginia and he began high school. Wanting to hang out with the cool kids, he started to notice how he stood out, like bringing cabbage to school for lunch and correcting people who had trouble pronouncing his name. 'When I decided I wanted to pursue acting, I told my dad that I wanted to change my last name to something that sounded a little more American,' says the author, Queer Eye star, and World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador. 'My dad asked, 'Then how will anyone know you're Polish?' I didn't get it at the time, but I'm glad I didn't go down that road.' He still loves the Polish food he was raised on—like sorrel soup, hunter stew, pierogis, and cabbage rolls—and it remains a constant touchstone in his family. Porowski's belief that food can tell a person about who they are has inspired his new show, No Taste Like Home, which dives into the heritage of six celebrity guests. On journeys toward cultural and personal discovery, Porowski travels with Awkwafina, Henry Golding, James Marsden, Florence Pugh, Issa Rae, and Justin Theroux to South Korea, Malaysian Borneo, Germany, the United Kingdom, Senegal, and Italy. Through sharing family stories and connections with food, the docuseries examines each person's rich heritage through their ancestors' culinary traditions. (Related: How to make perfect pierogi, Poland's famous dumplings.) 'We have a responsibility as humans to make sure we tell stories around our family's beloved dishes,' he says. 'When you know where you came from, it helps give you a foundation for moving forward on your own path.' We connected with Porowski in San Francisco. He talked about the show, shared how the experiences have changed him, and looked at his own cultural questions about his family's food traditions. There's something about visibility when you are among the culture from which you've descended, even if you've had only a small connection to that culture. What makes food the key to unlocking memories and the motive to dive in deeper? For me, it's an easy vehicle because food is so deeply emotional. It provides us with a sense of comfort. I was raised in a house where we weren't really good at communicating our feelings, and some of the most heartwarming moments (and also some of the most painful ones) took place around the dinner table. If I didn't have Polish food when I was growing up, I would have tried to assimilate more into American culture. But the food is what kept me close to my heritage. When I visited South Korea with Nora (Awkwafina), there was a moment when things clicked for her. She smelled kelp as it was hydrating and sesame oil heating up and beef hitting the pan while making miyeokguk, a kelp soup that's traditionally a post-childbirth dish. She realized it was a smell she remembered from the time her mother was ill. Nora cried, and everyone on the set just teared up. (Related: Everything you need to know about bibimbap, Korea's famous rice dish.) What aspects of research were challenging in putting together the individual family stories? We had an entire genealogy team, and it took months of research to get the details of everyone's family story. In some of the destinations, like Germany, Italy, and England, many of the documents are public domain, and there's an infrastructure to access that information. But in Senegal or Borneo, much of the details are oral history. Our research team had to speak with village elders and confirm that the stories are factually accurate. We've been careful to clarify when we're less than 100 percent sure of any detail. How have the experiences in these six episodes changed you? I feel like we don't have enough conversations about our generational gifts. Look at Issa, a strong, independent woman who empowers women from the shows she produces to the companies in which she invests. It was impressive to learn that there were so many incredible women in her family. Justin is so passionate about his rescue pit bull and pet adoption, and learning of his generational connection to adoption was an emotional moment. It was also powerful to see Florence and her family's passion for food after learning that there was a period of time that her ancestors really struggled. I describe my own connection to cuisine as a deep obsession, but I'm sure there's a reason why my family is so connected with food. Both of my grandfathers were in concentration camps. As a child, I heard the stories about not wasting anything on your plate. If you had an episode of No Taste Like Home dedicated to your cultural background, what would you want to include? I'd like to explore the significance of dishes that are so strong in my memory. I feel that there's power and importance behind something, but I don't know what it is. On Christmas Eve, we had uszka, dumplings known as 'little ears' for their shape. The journey for making that dish began in the summer months when we'd go foraging for the mushrooms that we'd preserve and then use as filling for the dumplings. But one of them would be filled with peppercorns. If you got that one, as unpleasant as it would be taste-wise, it would be a sign of good luck for the coming year. My mother would only allow my middle sister to help her make this dish by hand, but I would watch. There was a lot of intensity because my mother was extremely focused and wouldn't talk. I'm just struck by how much energy, time, effort, care, precision, and love went into it, but I don't really know much about it. In a time when distractions and divisions inhibit our ability to see each other's humanity, what do you hope viewers take away from this series by watching others discover ancestral traditions that tell them something about who they are? I think we act in certain ways when we're afraid of something. When I talk with someone, I may not agree with their views, but at the end of our time together, I can sort of understand where they're coming from. The more we're exposed to diversity—different people, different places, different cultures—the less scary the world becomes. You actually realize that we have more similarities than differences, which is something I said in the first season of Queer Eye. You only understand what we have in common once you truly listen to what other people have to say. Jill K. Robinson is a San Francisco-based travel and adventure writer. Follow her on Bluesky.
