Fresh Express is looking to drive summer category volume through a high-profile partnership with former “Queer Eye” star Antoni Porowski. Running June 15 through July 19, the interactive “Cooking with Antoni” sweepstakes leverages experiential prizes — including a virtual cooking experience with the Emmy-winning television personality and New York Times bestselling author — to highlight the convenience and versatility of the brand’s product lineup.
The partnership seeks to both inspire consumers to elevate their meal game with value-added salads, and to meet them where they are in the kitchen.
“I love this partnership, and it’s been so much fun taking something that is already perfect — as it is for so many people — but then the Fresh Express team lets me put in my ethos and my POV into it,” Porowski tells The Packer. “What I learned on ‘Queer Eye’ is you can never take for granted what someone may or may not know in the kitchen. Easy can be subjective. What’s easy for one person can be the most complicated thing ever for other people. [Some people] can do it with their eyes closed and then there’s everywhere in between.”
Twenty-five lucky winners will be selected to receive a Fresh Express prize package, which includes a virtual cooking session with Porowski on Zoom, an “Antoni: Let’s Do Dinner” cookbook, Porowski’s recipe card, designer apron, salad bowl set, oven mitt and potholder set, a $100 gift card and two bags of Fresh Express salad.
Porowski gave The Packer a sneak peek at the grand prize virtual cooking experience.
“I’m not supposed to mention it yet, but I have this dish that I’ve developed using one of the salad kits, and I’m going to be showing salads that are either for roast meat situations or even roasted veggie situations that I like to add in my everyday cooking,” he says. “I’ll get to share those with everybody, which will be fun.”
The interactive virtual cooking experience will be an opportunity for fans to connect with Porowski’s signature inclusive and inspirational culinary style.
“The last time I did anything like this was during the pandemic,” Porowski says of the virtual experience. “I love a challenge, and in someone’s kitchen, they might not have the kitchen tweezers that I use so religiously, and so then we have to figure out a swap and figure out what else we can use if they don’t have a fish spatula, for example. It’s always fun to see. I think creativity comes from having those challenges.
“I always love knowing what’s in someone’s fridge, in their pantry, in their drawers, what they have, what they don’t have and then offer them a suggestion, or just meet them where they’re at and find a swap that I can then use in my own life,” he adds.
Porowski’s culinary style centers on accessible elevation. He seeks to empower home cooks to transform everyday convenience items — like prepackaged salad kits — into creative, upgraded meals using simple, clever kitchen hacks.
“Croutons are great, and it’s important to have a little bit of carb in a salad, because otherwise you’re just going to go hungry an hour later, and it defeats the purpose of having a complete meal,” he says. “But that said, I love to tweak things, and in a lot of restaurants these days, I’m seeing either anchovy breadcrumbs or Parmesan breadcrumbs that are sprinkled over a salad to add a little bit of crunch.”
Porowski says the breadcrumbs can be achieved with a rolling pin or even a can.
“And you can add as many or as few elements or spices as you want, and you have a wonderful new way of doing something, whether you’re putting it on top of a salmon filet or just sprinkling it over your salad,” he says. “But there’s so many different options for people, and I just hope it encourages them to be creative.”
While Porowski is fully aware of the meal prep trend, he says he’s not that guy.
“I need a little bit of variety, and it doesn’t have to be a big change, but I think swapping out a couple of elements can give you a completely different dish,” he says. “One spice can take you to a completely different part of the world.“
An additional 100 winners in the “Cooking With Antoni” sweepstakes will receive a promo apron, Porowski’s recipe card, oven mitt and potholder set, and a $50 gift card. To win a chance to cook with Porowski, enter here.
The Fresh Express and Porowski partnership kicked off at the Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s annual convention in April, where the culinary trendsetter got a chance to experience the produce industry firsthand.
“All of these farmers are so passionate about what they do, and in the best way possible. I say this only with love and kindness — they’re such produce nerds, and they’re so passionate,” he says. “I think it helps me be more excited about cooking and more confident in knowing more about how the industry operates. I’m grateful for everything all of them do.”
