Columbus restaurant owner competes on Food Network show

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Columbus food scene may be getting some more bragging rights as the owner of two local restaurants competed on the Food Network’s "Bobby’s Triple Threat".

“Do I feel like there's pressure to perform? 100% but you know, we're in Buckeye Nation, so we're used to being competitive,” said Avishar Barua, owner of Agni and Joyas.

Barua has a full plate. Along with owning two restaurants, his cooking skills have gotten him on "Top Chef", "Guy’s Grocery Games", "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives" and "Beat Bobby Flay", where he did in fact beat him.

“It's Bobby Flay, this guy’s got an over 75% win rate on things that he doesn't have any idea about,” Barua said.

Now we will see if Barua can take down a group of chefs in three rounds on Bobby’s Triple Threat. “The coolest thing about actually being in the place with the people that you watch is you get to see them as people and get to talk to them and they had a lot of inspirational words, good advice and are fierce competitors,” he said.

No matter how many shows he goes on, he said the experience never gets any less exciting.

“I think every time you sign up to do a competition, you're putting yourself out there for the entire world. It's very, very scary and nerve-racking, but I want to represent Columbus,” said Barua.

He said he’s hoping to bring more attention to the food scene that the capital city has to offer. “If I get a chance or a platform, it's always to bring more awareness to what Columbus already is,” he said.

The episode airs Tuesday night on Food Network. If Barua wins, he will take home $25,000.

UPDATE: Chef Barua lost on Tuesday's show, 34-27, but did put up a good fight.