“Top Chef” and “Beat Bobby Flay” contestant Chef Avishar Barua opened Agni, his second concept in Columbus, in March 2023. Named for the Hindu god of fire, the six-course tasting menu is centered around live-fire cooking, offering an intimate dining experience with nods to Avishar's Bengali and Midwestern heritage. Avishar’s self-proclaimed “happy place” is cooking behind the wood fires in Agni’s kitchen — and guests can watch him cook slow-roasted chickens, vegetables, pizzas and more over the grill. Currently structured as a six-course tasting menu, each guest receives multiple courses with surprises and additions throughout, with the current menu featuring Bengali-style Shrimp & Grits, Dry-Aged Rohan Duck and Flan with mandarin, pistachio and a saffron Old Fashioned. The restaurant’s interior offers a moody palette alongside colorful, authentic Indian textiles, and guests are guaranteed to be taken on a culinary journey of Avishar’s and his team’s collective cultures, memories and experiences.