TORONTO — When it comes to salad, Antoni Porowski wants consumers to stop thinking solely about the side dish and start focusing on the main event. The “Queer Eye” star and bestselling author brought his culinary expertise to the Canadian Produce Marketing Association Convention and Trade Show as Fresh Express' newest “Fresh Expressionist.” By partnering with the brand, Porowski aims to prove that a bag of greens is more than just a convenience — it's the foundation for a restaurant-quality, craveable meal that fits perfectly into the fast-paced lives of modern home cooks.
The Packer sat down with Porowski last week to learn more about his brand ambassador role; his favorite way to prepare a Fresh Express salad; what he learned from Queer Eye about people's relationship with meal prep and more.
“I think what initially got me excited about this partnership is the fact that two things can exist at the same time. You have people who want to feel empowered, but don't necessarily have the time, creativity or the knowledge or skill set to execute something from start to finish,” Porowski told The Packer. “With Fresh Express, it's like it's all kind of been figured out for you.
“But then there's the side of people who want to tweak it and add that little 5% that makes it their own, that makes it feel like something either from their childhood, or ingredients that their kids like, or they're throwing in protein,” he adds.
Salad kits have effectively transformed the labor-intensive chore of chopping, washing and sourcing multiple ingredients, into healthy meal-making in just minutes. This convenience, freshness, versatility and variety of flavor profiles have made salad kits a multibillion-dollar business. Sales of salad kits reached $4.4 billion for the 52 weeks ending March 22, 2026, according Circana OmniMarket Integrated Fresh, a Chicago-based market research firm (@WeAreCircana), up 0.1% from the previous 52 weeks.
When asked about his pro tips for spicing up a Fresh Express salad kit, Porowski says adding grated egg to a Fresh Express Italian salad is a favorite, but the “possibilities are endless with how far you can go, and I think that's what I like about it so much.”
“What I learned from Queer Eye is … you have to meet people where they're at, and if you go hyper-specific, you're going to alienate people,” he says. “If you keep things nice and broad, it makes it a lot easier to bring people in. And there's an inclusivity aspect there that I inherently just gravitate towards.”
On Queer Eye and as a chef and author, Porowski is expert at giving consumers the tips and tricks to make healthy, flavorful meals in a way that's simple and approachable. He says he has found Fresh Express salad kits helpful in his own meal prep.
“I was raised a city boy, and as soon as I left the coop and was left to my own devices, it was options like Fresh Express that were realistic when I was a student, working three jobs, trying to save up and figure out my way in the world,” he says.
Post-Queer Eye, Porowski now has a life in New York City and a country home where he goes to slow down the pace. He sees salad kits playing a role in both venues.
“My happy place is in a kitchen, having a conversation with someone cooking,” he says. “I don't get to do that all the time with work, but I want to feel good about the choices that I'm making, and I think with Fresh Express, I still get to be me and insert my personality and my viewpoint on food, which is exciting, and they've been letting me run with it.”
Porowski says it's particularly meaningful when he gets to bring his personality and background to the table.
“Sometimes it's ingredients. Sometimes it's technique. Sometimes it's presentation,” he says. “It's all those things.
When it comes to Porowski's favorite way to doctor up a Fresh Express salad, it depends on how he's feeling in the moment.
“It depends on whether it's sunny or whether it's cloudy, or my mood, but I kind of look at the elements, and then I just think about what I feel like doing,” he says. “If I'm feeling a little lazy, I'll probably just take the croutons and crush them up so that it's a nice little breadcrumb situation, put them on as is, or maybe I'll hit them in a pan with a little bit of butter, a little bit of shallots and fresh herbs that I have that are going to be going bad soon, because I hate food waste. It drives me crazy.”
Porowski also says the addition of protein is always on the menu because he eats a very high protein diet.
“And if I'm feeling ambitious, I can really switch it up and I can turn it into a wrap,” he says. “It's really like the sky's the limit. The irony is that it's all been figured out for you, but you still have the freedom to either use it as is or add wherever you like.”
Why Porowski is the Perfect Fresh Expressionist
“For Fresh Expressionists, we are looking for people who actually connect with the audience, who can inspire because the goal is to help people eat salad more often, and salad is good for you,” says Fabian Pereira, vice president of marketing, innovation and international for Fresh Express.
“Antoni loves salads. He also understands consumers. He understands their needs state.”
Pereira says Porowski also excels at making food in a simple way that's simply delicious.
“All of us are looking for inspiration, because food should not be boring. Food should not be something you just chow down and move on,” he says. “You've got to enjoy those few moments that you take away from your day and spend time and enjoy. And I think what Antoni does is to bring a very unique talent in terms of inspiring people.”
A big part of the inspiration, says Pereira, is Porowski's ability to elevate a simple salad preparation to a restaurant-caliber meal — a knack that has contributed to his scores of followers on social.
“He makes it so simple for you, but [also helps you in] making a moment that you can actually savor and enjoy. That's where we were blown away.”
