It's impossible to get through an episode of Netflix's Queer Eye revival without tearing up over the cast's message of self-care, acceptance, and love. Antoni Porowski, the food and wine expert on Queer Eye, is an insightful, funny and passionate member of the Fab Five who makes cooking pleasurable. Throughout the show's insanely successful four seasons, plus two specials, Antoni has won hearts and minds with his genuine and enthusiastic approach to food and eating.
Antoni's dialogue in Queer Eye, like the overall tone of the show itself, ranges from cute to comic to serious. Here are 10 of the best Antoni quotes.
"My Biggest Nightmare Is That Something Doesn't Have Enough Salt."
Antoni is not a fan of bland dishes. He makes it clear on Queer Eye that food is about more than sustenance for him. It's about self-expression and showing other people how you feel about them through the meals you prepare. In the show, Antoni urges makeover subjects to cook and eat foods that have significance for them.
In Season One, he teaches AJ how to make Tex-Mex food for a party where he plans to come out to his Mexican stepmother. Each ingredient, from sauteed vegetables to arepas, is infused with special touches that personalize the eating experience for AJ's stepmother, as well as plenty of salt.
"Food Can Offer A Moment Of Pure Emotional Pleasure In An Otherwise Hard And Difficult World."
The food and wine expert on Queer Eye is not a professional chef. Antoni just loves food, and his purpose is to spread the love by making meals easy, tasty and enjoyable for anyone.
A prime example of this is when Antoni shows the father of eight Bobby how to prepare a meal that will feed his entire tribe: chili. Chili is an impossibly simple tossed-together stew with little preparation. Chili can also contain a variety of ingredients, meaning it's a dish that can be altered depending on what is in the refrigerator.
"My T-Shirts Wrinkle Because I Sweat A Lot."
Antoni does a great job of showing humility and realness throughout the show. It's pretty obvious he stays in great shape, yet he doesn't shame anyone else on the show for not looking like him. In fact, he goes out of his way to normalize all body types and to focus on self-love, whether or not you have a six-pack.
Queer Eye is all about teaching those being made over about to feel comfortable in their own skin, whether they are tall, short, thin, large or somewhere in between. The Fab Five insists size doesn't matter and all bodies are beautiful.
"My Sexuality's Something That's Intimate. It's Not Anything That I'm Ashamed Of."
A big theme in the show is the acceptance of all sexualities and gender identities. While the rest of the Fab Five have been more direct about their sexuality, Antoni has been a little less precise, instead choosing to describe himself as fluid. As Queer Eye makes obvious, there's no right or wrong way to identify.
Queer Eye's enduring legacy remains focused around its push to normalize LGBTQ+ people for mainstream audiences. Sexuality is personal and multifaceted. As Antoni shows, no one should be defined by who they're attracted to. There's so much more to a person than this.
"For Too Long Tomatoes Have Been Misunderstood."
In Season Three of Queer Eye, Antoni waxes poetic about tomatoes. "Please keep this wonderful fruit of the summer out of your fridge," he urges. "Ripe tomatoes should be kept in a cool, dry spot away from direct sunlight." Good advice, Antoni.
In the recipes Antoni uses to teach the show's subjects about cooking, there is always an emphasis on fresh ingredients. Fruits and vegetables are given as much prominence as meats and starches. It seems Antoni is on a mission to show how flavorful many of the ingredients people tend to shy away from can be when handled properly.
"I Love A Pickle."
Antoni's feelings about pickles and pickle juices are emphasized in Season One when the gang makes over a cop named Cory who is a fan of picklebacks - or chasing shots of liquor with pickle juice. In fact, Antoni goes as far as drinking a glass of bright, lime green brine from a jar of pickles on camera.
The zesty, sour juice might not be for everyone, but Antoni's love for pickles sure is hilarious to watch on screen.
"Don't Get Stuck In A Rut With Your Margarita."
This is essential advice given in the very first episode of Queer Eye. Georgian Tom Jackson has his own take on the classic drink, which he calls a "redneck margarita." Tom's concoction involves Mountain Dew and cheap tequila. Fortunately, Antoni updates Tom's favorite alcoholic beverage, introducing him to natural ingredients and less sugar.
The bigger message here is not to be afraid to try new things. Tom spent years and years drinking the same beverage every day. Good thing the Fab Five shook up his routine.
"A Mac And Cheese Is Something That Can Actually Be So Personal."
Antoni tries his hand at a traditional southern meal in Season One that is often passed down generationally: macaroni and cheese. He works with Remy, the young man who lives in the house he inherited from his grandmother, to reinvent the macaroni and cheese Remy's mother has perfected over decades.
While Antoni's recipe doesn't attempt to approach the one worked out by Remy's family, he uses different cheeses to show macaroni and cheese can be adapted and played around with: gruyere, parmesan and sharp cheddar from Vermont. For Antoni, food is never static.
"No One Told Me That There Was Gonna Be A Corgi."
One of the highlights of Queer Eye is watching Antoni react to meeting new pets. In Season Four, when the Fab Five makeover a single dad named John, they also meet John's pet Corgi, Oscar. Antoni's behavior toward the dog is unforgettable.
Antoni's love for the Corgi may be the great romance of the show's run so far. "Oh, your paws smell so nice," he joyously proclaims. "Do you like cheesy slices?" he asks Oscar in the kitchen. At one point, sitting on the floor of a hallway in John's house, Antoni, while petting Oscar, verbalizes what he imagines the Corgi is thinking, saying, "Oh, I just want scritchy scratchies." What a pair.
"Learn How To Treat Your Vegetables With The Love And Kindness That They Deserve."
This is the ultimate expression of Antoni's feelings about food and cooking. His food style is all about respect and affection. His food style is also all about accessorizing with kitchen towels and neck scarves.
According to the chic Queer Eye chef, ingredients used to make meals should be appreciated alongside all the other stuff that makes life worth living.