Antoni Porowski

{{Infobox person

| name = Antoni Porowski

| image = Antoni Porowski, 2018-06 on MTV International.jpg

| caption = Porowski in June 2018

| birth_name = Antoni Janusz Porowski

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|03|14}}

| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada

| education = {{Plainlist|

| occupation = {{hlist|Television personality|actor|model|author}}

| years active = 2008–present

| partner =

| website = {{URL|http://antoniporowski.com/}}

}}

Antoni Janusz Porowski (born March 14, 1984){{cite web |last1=Chandra |first1=Jessica |title=Just 16 Beautiful Pictures Of Antoni Porowski From 'Queer Eye' |url=https://www.elle.com.au/celebrity/antoni-porowski-queer-eye-16346 |website=Elle |date=April 18, 2018 |publisher=Elle Magazine |access-date=10 November 2020}} is a Canadian television personality, cook, actor, model, and author. He is the food and wine expert on the Netflix series Queer Eye (2018–present).

Early life

Porowski was born in Montreal, Quebec, to Polish parents after they immigrated to Canada with his two older sisters. His father is a physician.{{cite journal|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/06/style/antoni-porowski-queer-eye-cooking.html|title=Antoni Porowski Can Cook|first=Bonnie|last=Wertheim|journal=The New York Times|date=March 6, 2018|access-date=March 10, 2018}} He grew up speaking Polish, English and French. He and his parents moved to Glade Springs, West Virginia, when he was twelve years old; he resided between there and in Montreal throughout his high school years before returning to Montreal to complete his post-secondary education at Marianopolis College.{{cite journal|url=https://www.gq.com/story/queer-eye-antoni-porowski-interview|title=Queer Eye's Antoni Porowski Knows You're Thinking About Him|first=Brennan|last=Carley|journal=GQ|date=February 26, 2018|access-date=March 10, 2018}}

After graduating from Concordia University with a bachelor's degree in psychology, Porowski moved to New York City to study acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, from which he graduated in 2011.{{Cite web|last=Keogh|first=Joey|date=October 8, 2018|title=The untold truth of Antoni Porowski|url=https://www.thelist.com/134951/the-untold-truth-of-antoni-porowski/|access-date=June 23, 2020|website=TheList.com|language=en-US}}{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/tv/2018/03/01/queer-eye-antoni-porowski/|title=Queer Eye's Antoni Porowski defends his credentials, T-shirt choices, and love of avocados|first=Gerrad|last=Hall|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=March 1, 2018|access-date=March 10, 2018}}{{Cite web|last=Braxton|first=Conrad|title=Antoni Porowski Answers 5 Burning Questions – Men's Variety|url=https://mensvariety.com/antoni-porowski5-questions/|access-date=June 23, 2020|website=mensvariety.com|language=en-US}} He taught himself to cook as a college student.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dinemagazine.com/feast-your-eyes-volume-ii-antonis-recipes-in-queer-eye-season-3/|title=Feast Your Eyes: Volume II – Antoni's Recipes in Queer Eye Season 3|last=Sachs|first=Kevin|date=March 2, 2019|website=DINE Magazine|access-date=April 25, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.grubstreet.com/2018/01/meet-antoni-porowski-queer-eyes-new-food-authority.html|title=Queer Eye Is Back – Meet The Show's New Food Expert|first=Kari|last=Sondé|website=Grub Street|publisher=New York Media|date=January 22, 2018|access-date=March 12, 2018}}

Career

Upon moving to New York City, Porowski began auditioning for various acting roles. He has stated that his Polish last name made it difficult for him to find work, which at the time made him consider anglicizing his last name. He has landed roles in movies such as Elliot Loves (2012), Daddy's Boy (2016), The Pretenders (2018), and as the lead officer in a 2014 episode of TV series The Blacklist.{{cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/whos-antoni-porowski-from-queer-eye-the-food-expert-has-a-personal-connection-to-the-original-show-8127740|title=Who's Antoni Porowski from Queer Eye? The Food Expert has a Personal Connection to the Original Show|first=Alani|last=Vargas|date=February 6, 2018 |publisher=Bustle|access-date=March 10, 2018}} Porowski was also featured in the 2015 short docudrama about the Vinnytsia massacre, To My Father, as Adam Bandrowski.{{cite web|url=http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/c/MOBILE/news/0__to_my_father___a_docudrama_about_the_vinnica_massacre_by_montreal_filmmakers|title="To My Father" a docudrama about the Vinca massacre by Montreal filmmakers|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland|date=September 23, 2013|access-date=March 12, 2018}} The short film was part of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival's Short Film Corner.

In the meantime, he worked in food service to cover his rent, first working as a busboy at a family-run Polish restaurant. He worked his way up in the restaurant industry, working as a waiter and sommelier, eventually managing the sushi restaurant BondSt.{{Citation|last=92nd Street Y|title=Netflix's Queer Eye in Conversation|date=June 2, 2018|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noRolBwYkYQ|access-date=June 23, 2018}}

In December 2017, it was announced that Porowski was hired as the food and wine expert in the Netflix revival of Queer Eye, which began airing in February 2018.{{cite journal|url=http://metro.co.uk/2018/02/09/netflixs-queer-eye-who-are-the-new-fab-five-7298209/|title=Netflix's Queer Eye: Who are the new Fab Five|first=Adam|last=Starkey|journal=Metro|date=February 9, 2018|access-date=March 10, 2018}}

In April 2018, Porowski signed a deal with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for his first cookbook, released in spring 2019.{{Cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/books/2018/04/30/antoni-porowski-queer-eye-cookbook-deal/|title=Exclusive: 'Queer Eye' breakout Antoni Porowski lands cookbook deal|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=June 23, 2018}} In June 2018, he announced that he would be opening The Village Den, a fast-casual restaurant in New York City's West Village. Additionally, Porowski deals vintage furniture.{{cite web|url=https://www.houzz.co.uk/ideabooks/48788889/list/my-houzz-rich-timber-and-warm-metals-transform-a-brooklyn-apartment|title=Rich Timber and Warm Metals Transform a Brooklyn Apartment|quote=Porowski is an actor, a chef and a vintage-furniture dealer|first=Elaine|last=Musiwa|publisher=Houzz|date=May 21, 2015|access-date=March 10, 2018}}

On September 10, 2018, Porowski alongside co-hosts of Queer Eye received an Emmy for Outstanding Structured Reality Program.{{cite web|url=https://m.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/queer-eye-wins-two-emmys_us_5b95c0d6e4b0cf7b0041140b|title='Queer Eye' Reboot Wins Top Reality Show Emmy|work=HuffPost|date=September 10, 2018}}

Porowski was featured in Taylor Swift's "You Need to Calm Down" music video, released on June 17, 2019.{{Citation|last=TaylorSwiftVEVO|title=Taylor Swift – You Need To Calm Down|date=June 1, 2019|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkk9gvTmCXY|access-date=June 17, 2019}}

In November 2019, he was named Sexiest Reality Star by People magazine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/entertainment/celebrities//284404|title=People Magazine's Readers Pick 'Queer Eye' Star Antoni Porowski as Sexiest Reality Star of 2019|website=EDGE Media Network|language=en-us|access-date=November 15, 2019|archive-date=November 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115090719/https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/entertainment/celebrities//284404|url-status=dead}}

In June 2021, Porowski announced he is part of the new Equaversity Foundation, established to organize international fundraising to support the LGBT+ community in Poland.{{Cite web|title=Equaversity Poland|url=https://equaversity.org/|access-date=2021-06-05|website=equaversity.org}}

Personal life

Porowski once lived in the same neighborhood of Brooklyn as Ted Allen, the original Queer Eye food and wine expert and current host of Food Network cooking competition Chopped. The two became friends, and for a time Porowski worked for Allen and his husband, designer Barry Rice, as their assistant, frequently cooking for the couple and helping them put together events and catering in their home.

Porowski states that his sexuality is "a little more fluid along the spectrum" and prefers not to label himself.{{cite journal|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/04/24/queer-eye-antoni-porowski-sexuality-fluid/|title=Queer Eye star Antoni Porowski says his sexuality is fluid|first=Amy|last=West|journal=Pink News|date=April 24, 2018|access-date=June 9, 2018}} He dated graphic artist Joey Krietemeyer for more than seven years before announcing their split in October 2018.{{cite web |last1=Hautman |first1=Nicholas |title='Queer Eye' Star Antoni Porowski and Boyfriend Joey Krietemeyer Split After 7 Years |date=October 25, 2018 |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/queer-eyes-antoni-porowski-joey-krietemeyer-split-after-7-years/ |access-date=10 November 2020}}

In 2019, Porowski and his Queer Eye costar Jonathan Van Ness set up a joint Instagram account, and posted seemingly romantic photographs. They later clarified that it was in jest.{{cite journal|url=https://www.popsugar.co.uk/celebrity/Antoni-Jonathan-Van-Ness-Joke-Instagram-Account-JVNtoni-46348007|title= Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness' Joke Couple Instagram Account Just Won the Internet. He is currently dating Kevin Harrington. |first=Angela|last=Law|journal=Popsugar.co.uk|date=July 5, 2019|access-date=July 22, 2019}}

In 2019, Porowski began dating Manhattan advertising executive Kevin Harrington.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/antoni-porowski-is-dating-nyc-ad-exec-kevin-harrington/|title=New Guy! Antoni Porowski is Dating Ad Exec Kevin Harrington|date=December 19, 2019}} Porowski and Harrington got engaged in 2022 and lived in New York City.{{cite web | url=https://people.com/food/who-is-kevin-harrington-antoni-porowski/#:~:text=Antoni%20Porowski%20is%20getting%20married,Kevin%20Harrington%2C%20in%20November%202022 | title=Who is Antoni Porowski's Fiancé? All About Kevin Harrington }} The couple split in 2023, ending their engagement.{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/antoni-porowski-and-fiance-kevin-harrington-split-end-engagement-8405531|magazine=People|title=Antoni Porowski and Kevin Harrington Split and End Their Engagement After 4 Years of Dating (Exclusive)|date=November 22, 2023|last=DeBianchi|first=Antonia}}

In 2018, Antoni paid tribute to fellow television food guru and chef Anthony Bourdain via Instagram.https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/world/queer-eyes-antoni-porowski-pays-tribute-to-idol-anthony-bourdain-296138/

Bibliography

Antoni in the Kitchen (2019)
Antoni: Let's Do Dinner (2021)

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2008	The Diary	Eric	Short film
2011	The Apartment	Stranger	Short film
2012	Elliot Loves	Elliot's Father
2013	Withdrawal	Louis	Short film
2015	To My Father	Adam Bandrowski	Short film
rowspan="2"\| 2016	Daddy's Boy	Christian
Blood Surf	Simon
rowspan="2" \| 2018	The Pretenders	Antoni
Horror Time	Jacob
2023	Spoiler Alert	Sebastian

=Television and web=

class="wikitable sortable"

style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"

! Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2010

| Blue Mountain State

| Lacrosse Player

| Episode: "LAX"

2014

| The Blacklist

| Lead Officer

| Episode: "Monarch Douglas Bank"

2018–present

| Queer Eye

| Himself

| Series regular, 47 episodes

rowspan="2"| 2018

| Nailed It!

| Himself – guest judge

| Episode: "Bonus: 3,2,1...Ya Not Done!!"

Don't Watch This

| Himself

| Episode: "Antoni Psycho"

rowspan="4"| 2019

| Lip Sync Battle

| Himself

| Season 5, Episode 1

Big Mouth

| Himself

| Season 3

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

| Himself

| Episode: "How Did Antoni Porowski And His 'Flipping Out' Beau Meet?"

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

| Himself

| Episode: "Celebrating Food as a Love Language with Antoni in the Kitchen"

2020

| Martha Knows Best

| Himself

| Episode: "Vegetable Garden"{{Cite web|url=https://www.hgtv.com/shows/martha-knows-best/episodes/vegetable-garden|title = HGTV,"Vegetable Garden"}}

rowspan="2"| 2022

| Queen

| Antoine

| 2 episodes{{cite web |title=Queen (TV Mini Series 2022) - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15213258/fullcredits/ |website=IMDB |access-date=20 August 2022}}

Easy Bake Battle: The Home Cooking Competition

| Himself

| Host

2025

| No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski

| Himself

| Host

=Music videos=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Song ! Artist
2018 \| "This Is Me (The Reimagined Remix)" \| Keala Settle, Kesha, & Missy Elliott
2019 \| "You Need to Calm Down" \| Taylor Swift

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Song

! Artist

2018

| "This Is Me (The Reimagined Remix)"

| Keala Settle, Kesha, & Missy Elliott

2019

| "You Need to Calm Down"

| Taylor Swift