Chef and owner of Agni and Joya’s
Avishar Barua
Chef and owner of Joya’s in Worthington and Agni in the Brewery District, two restaurants rooted in Bengali food and Barua’s Ohio upbringing.
Avishar Barua runs two restaurants with different rhythms. Joya’s is a Worthington daytime café named for his mother, with Bengali dishes and American diner references on the same menu. Agni is a tasting-menu restaurant built around live fire and the food memories Barua carried from childhood in Ohio.
The James Beard Foundation named Barua a 2025 Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist for Agni. He has also appeared on Top Chef, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing.
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Meet Avishar Barua ↗
Barua’s official site collects his restaurant work, classes, appearances, and consulting.
Reported elsewhere
How Chef Avishar Barua brings humor and value to fine dining ↗
Gloria Dawson interviews Barua about humor, price, hospitality, and the Midwest-nostalgia menu at Agni.