Inside Antoni Porowski’s global search for what makes a city tick
From London to Mexico City, the host of Nat Geo’s Best of the World shares the human stories, meals, and moments that shape how he travels—and why the best plans are the ones you abandon.
Most people may know Antoni Porowski as the food and wine expert on Queer Eye. The show wrapped up its 10th and final season earlier this year. Porowski, a self-taught cook, traveled the world in National Geographic’s No Taste Like Home with celebrity guests, and now, he’s on a new quest in Nat Geo’s Best of the World with Antoni Porowski, exploring hidden gems and discovering unique experiences in London, New York City, Paris, and Mexico City.
We recently caught up with Porowski to talk about his time filming Best of the World, the most memorable person he’s met while traveling, where he eats when he's back home in Montreal, and his travel philosophy.
What was your first adventure?
Probably a road trip to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina. There’s a place there called Canadian Hole where Canadian windsurfers like my dad go. We’d sometimes rent a house in this fishing village where the houses were built on stilts to survive hurricane season. Other times, we’d stay in a motel for fisherman, because we had a dog and they weren’t allowed in many hotels. It was super retro and the fishermen would be there gutting the fish.
Who’s the most memorable person you’ve met travelling?
When my father retired, we took a father-son trip to Poland, where we’re from. We went to Zakopane, in the Tatras Mountains, an area popular for hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. We met an old woman selling oscypek, a smoked cheese that has a pungent smell. She was this sweet, smiling grandma who was also very direct and told us what to do. She bargained with my dad and he ended up buying five times more cheese than he wanted. She really left a mark on us.
Where do you eat when you go home to Montreal?
When my partner, who’s also Polish, first came to Montreal, I took him to my old stomping grounds at Stash Café, a Polish restaurant that my father, auntie and I have all worked at. It has these beautiful posters by Tamara de Lempicka [a Polish Art Deco painter], old church pews, hanging red pendants — it’s really nostalgic. When I was growing up, their cabbage rolls and meat pierogi were my favourites. They took a lot of time to make so we didn’t really have them at home.
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Tell us about filming Best of the World with Antoni Porowski.
There’s no shortage of travel shows but I think, given the state of the world, this series is a wonderful thing, whether you’re planning a trip for a bit of escapism or you just want to dream a little. We filmed in Paris, London, Mexico City and New York. We learned very quickly, whether we met a volunteer at the New York City Marathon or chef Elena Reygadas in Mexico City, that it was always about the human stories. It’s about the people who keep these cities living and breathing.
What did you enjoy most in London?
It’s a high-energy city and there are so many things to do you can get overwhelmed — that’s when I have this instinct to touch grass. We filmed at Kew Gardens, which is one of the most biodiverse places in the world and such a wellness sanctuary. I tended to the lily pads and did yoga in the Temperate House conservatory.
Which is the one place you could visit over and over again?
The whole notion of Paris always being a good idea really does hold true. Even though it’s very cosmopolitan, there’s something about the French attitude that’s very relaxed. But, as a New Yorker who speed walks everywhere, it took me a while to get there. It’s just steeped in history and I love the markets, from food to furniture. I was recently there with my partner and we were wondering what to get for dinner. We ended up picking up a shocking amount of cheese, a couple of baguettes and some jam, and ate it while watching French TV in bed in our hotel. We felt slightly ill the next day, but I haven’t had gruyère that good since.
What’s the most challenging experience you’ve had while travelling?
Once, I landed in Cusco, Peru, and the biggest challenge was the altitude. There were escorts to help people take their luggage off the carousel — oxygen levels were so low that they just didn’t have the energy. When we checked into the hotel, the reception team told us not to leave the property for the first 12 hours. I left and was so winded within seconds — they were right.
Do you have a personal travel philosophy?
I approach travel how I approach my recipes. I take in all the information before I go, then, when I arrive, I push all that to the side and just get lost. Make the plan but give yourself the freedom to walk down that street that feels interesting to you. And don’t worry about the perfect Instagram carousel. All my best memories were unplanned things.
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