In his late twenties, Antoni Porowski dreamed about having a family, a dog and owning a Brooklyn brownstone with a backyard, but then “life really changed.” That change came in the form of fame and a bigger bank account via the 2018 debut of the Netflix hit series “Queer Eye,” a reprise of Bravo’s “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”
Mr. Porowski, 41, is a member of the show’s “Fab Five,” a group of subject experts who, over the course of an episode, help makeover the life of an individual, called a “hero.” In his role as the show’s food and wine expert, Mr. Porowski won over fans with his charisma and accessible tips for fuss-free cooking. Years into his tenure on the show, which released its ninth season in December 2024, Mr. Porowski’s business manager called to say that he should consider purchasing a home. Mr. Porowski hesitated. “I didn’t want the pressure and the stress of owning a home,” he said. “It gave me a bit of angst. I just didn’t want to grow up.”