Your favorite restaurant is probably your favorite for a variety of reasons. The ambiance, the location and the service all play a big role, but at the end of the day the food has to be top notch, and that’s thanks to the head chef and their team.
To that end, we ask our readers about their favorite local chefs this year, and for two years in a row Chef Avishar Barua has topped our list. In 2021, Barua was hot off the appearance of Bravo’s 18th season of Top Chef, and locals were already excited for what would come next.
The long-awaited Joya’s officially opened in Worthington in September to rave reviews, while Barua began teasing Agni, his new barbecue concept coming soon to The Brewery District.
For more info, visit www.avisharbarua.com.
The Top 10 Chefs in Columbus, Ohio:
- Avishar Barua – Joya’s
- Joshua Cook – Ampersand Asian Supper Club
- Jamie George – ‘plas Food and Drink
- BJ Lieberman – Chapman’s Eat Market / Ginger Rabbit
- Anthony Schulz – Kona Craft Kitchen
- Rick Lopez – La Tavola
- Sebastian La Rocca – Fyr
- Richard Blondin – The Refectory
- Matt Heaggans – Preston’s: A Burger Joint / and friends pop-up
- Roxy Gilmore – One Line Franklinton
Flashback: Best Columbus Chef of 2021: Avishar Barua of Service Bar
Flashback: Best Columbus Chef of 2019: Catie Randazzo of Ambrose & Eve
Flashback: Best Columbus Chef of 2018: Avishar Barua of Service Bar
Flashback: Best Columbus Chef of 2017: Kevin Caskey of Skillet
Flashback: Best Columbus Chef of 2016: Seth Lassak of Wolf’s Ridge Brewing
Flashback: Best Columbus Chef of 2015: Alana Shock of Alana’s Food & Wine
Note: Our “Best of 2022″ lists are published as the results of our annual Reader Survey Poll.