We’re proud to have Antoni Porowski by our side in the fight against hunger as a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Food Programme (WFP). From meeting communities served by WFP to recording powerful fundraising appeals for Gaza and Sudan to representing WFP on the Global Citizen stage, Antoni has gone above and beyond to support our mission.
While filming the final season of Queer Eye in Washington D.C., Antoni made the time to stop by our office and meet the team. We sat down to learn more about his passion for WFP’s work and fighting hunger through food and community.
WFP USA: What inspired you to become a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Food Programme?
Antoni: I’ve spent a lot of my working career in Canada and the U.S. but recently had a chance to visit places like Indonesia and Senegal, where I was particularly inspired. It’s important to be exposed to life in other places across the globe.
Food should be a given and unfortunately, it isn’t in our world. That’s where WFP steps up. This work is something we all need to continue and be active participants in.
WFP USA: How does your background in food and cooking shape your perspective on global food security?
Antoni: Some of the fondest memories I have from childhood are about food. From school lunches to birthday parties, food was always there. Yet for so many families around the world, it isn’t. Kids should have those memories watching their parents or a loved one prepare a meal for them.
Food is the ultimate love language. It’s how we lean into our communities during challenging times. It’s how we celebrate. It’s how we mourn the loss of people. Food is there for every single life event. And that’s something that should be shared by every kid and adult in the world, irrespective of where they come from.
WFP USA: What’s been the most impactful moment you’ve experienced while working with WFP?
Antoni: The one that really left a mark was when I had a chance speak with teachers in Senegal. I learned about the fortification of rice, the importance of this process and how school meals programs help educate entire communities about nutrition when students take what they learned back home to their families. That’s how awareness and education spread, through this domino effect.
WFP USA: What was your favorite food in D.C. while filming the final season of Queer Eye?
Antoni: I’ve been to a couple of Georgian restaurants, which were delicious, and there is a lot of really good Middle Eastern food here.
When we’re on set, my castmates and I tend to develop a little bit of a sweet tooth on long shoot days. There is a place called Call Your Mother. The first time we tried it, I had the cinnamon roll babka muffin, which was delicious. The second time, I got the blueberry cornflake babka muffin, and I don’t mean to be dramatic, but it sort of changed my life. I’m probably going to have to go get one right after this.
To learn more about Antoni’s work with WFP, visit wfpusa.org/about/celebrities-influencers/antoni-porowski/.
