Stream the full conversation with Avishar Barua on the Extra Serving podcast above. If you’ve dined at Chef Avishar Barua’s fast-casual fusion spot Joya’s or his Midwestern and Bengali tasting-menu restaurant Agni, you’ve witnessed his humorous and hospitable approach firsthand. “We like to be fun,” Barua told Nation’s Restaurant News. He’s brought the fun to the big screen as a contestant on Top Chef, Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, and most recently on 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing. On NRN’s Extra Serving podcast, Barua discusses what Midwestern food really is, how he brings humor and value to fine dining, and why TV appearances and other projects outside the restaurant have become part of doing business as a modern chef.