Justin Fornal

Justin Fornal is an international explorer, author, extreme athlete, and cultural researcher whose work focuses on the intersection of adventure, activism, and storytelling. He uses a blend of storytelling and activism to document vanishing traditions in crisis zones, with expertise in ancient textile production, traditional foodways, and the material culture of ritual. With more than 25 years of experience in field research, Fornal has led cultural research expeditions across numerous countries. Anthony Bourdain once described him as a showman, iconoclast, explorer, and gourmet.

Fornal first gained public recognition through his alter ego, Baron Ambrosia. Baron Ambrosia was a character Fornal played for several years—a self-proclaimed quaffer of culinary consciousness who traveled around New York City, primarily in The Bronx, documenting various ethnic cultures and their indigenous cuisines. The character appeared in Fornal's self-produced video podcast "Underbelly NYC," BronxNet's "Bronx Flavor," and "The Culinary Adventures of Baron Ambrosia" on the Cooking Channel. Fornal received a New York Emmy Award for best on-camera talent (performer/narrator) for his portrayal of Baron Ambrosia. He ultimately stepped away from the character after the feature-length film "Baron Ambrosia Is Dead" to focus on exploration and documentary filmmaking.

Fornal's transition from food personality to explorer was marked by a series of athletic achievements. He completed the first assisted circumnavigational swim of the 100-mile coastline of Islay, Scotland, carrying the flag of the Explorers Club UK Chapter over eight days. He was recognized by Men's Journal as one of the most adventurous people in the world, a distinction that led to opportunities in television. Fornal went on to host "Unexplained and Unexplored," an exploration-based program on Science Channel, where he and co-host Emiliano Ruprah use ancient maps and modern technology to investigate historical mysteries. Among the topics explored, the series examines whether the Knights Templar brought their treasure to the New World before Columbus's voyage. Off-screen, Fornal's investigative work has included tracking down the lost skull of African American slave rebellion leader Nat Turner and repatriating it to Turner's descendants.

Beyond television, Fornal is committed to humanitarian exploration. Through his nonprofit, the History, Arts, & Science Action Network (HASAN), he collaborates with minority communities facing discrimination or genocide, working to provide an international platform for them to showcase their heritage and reclaim their narratives. He has organized and led research expeditions through countries including Iraq, Somalia, Haiti, Yemen, Ethiopia, Liberia, the West Bank, and Arctic Greenland. Fornal's writing has appeared in leading publications, and he is a Society of American Travel Writers Gold Medal Award recipient who has written extensively for National Geographic, VICE, The Explorers Journal, Parts Unknown, Adventure Journal, and Roads & Kingdoms.

Fornal continues to advance sustainable and purposeful exploration. As explorer-in-residence and director of international content for ENERGEA, he documents the impact of renewable energy on the culture of remote indigenous communities accessing electricity for the first time. He launched "Sahel by the Sun," a crossing of the African continent from Dakar, Senegal to Xaafuun, Somalia using a solar-powered Land Rover Defender, with the goal of showcasing vanishing cultural traditions of the Sahel Region and promoting sustainable exploration. A resident-fellow of the Explorers Club, Fornal has also served as a keynote speaker at the GLEX Global Exploration Summit in Porto, Portugal, where he presented "Cultures in Crisis." Fornal's work spans swimming through Arctic waters, venturing into conflict zones, and presenting to audiences on topics related to exploration, cultural preservation, and sustainable development.