Columbus is getting another moment in the national food spotlight, and this time, it involves 24 straight hours of cooking with zero sleep. Local chef Avishar Barua just announced that he’ll be competing on the upcoming season of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, and his reaction is about what you’d expect: equal parts excitement and “why did I sign up for this?”
The show, which premieres April 26 on Food Network, is exactly as intense as it sounds.
Twenty-four chefs take on 24 challenges over 24 straight hours, no breaks, no sleep, and plenty of pressure. It’s hosted by Michael Symon and Esther Choi, with Jet Tila joining as a judge, and this season comes with new twists and the biggest prize in the show’s history: $100,000.
Barua shared the news on Instagram with his usual humor, calling it both “exciting” and “a terrible thing to willingly do to yourself.”
He described the experience as a blur of adrenaline, bad decisions, and what he dubbed “anticip-xiety,” which honestly feels like the only accurate way to describe cooking under that kind of pressure.
If you’ve followed the James Beard award semifinalist’s career in Columbus, you know he thrives in creative chaos, so this might be the perfect stage for him. Season 3 of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing premieres on Food Network Sunday, April 26 at 8|7c and streams the next day on HBO Max and discovery+.
