From Dish Washing to Dining Experiences: Chef Michael Barnes is Redefining Columbus's Culinary Scene

By Janell Williams

"I don't follow trends; I set them," said Chef Michael Barnes who wants to change Columbus's perceptions of the culinary experience.

Traveling the world, Barnes has created food experiences for celebrities in restaurants and privately over his career. He has utilized his culinary skills at rapper 2-Chainz's Esco Restaurant & Tapas and singer K. Michelle's Pearl Restaurant & Lounge.

Now Barnes has ventured into business for himself and is focused on private dining and catering.

Born into a military family, Barnes traveled often with his parents. As a kid, Barnes watched his mother cook in their kitchen at home, taking in the what she did.

In his teens, his family moved to Iceland, where his mother worked as a baker in a restaurant in a U.S. Navy hanger. Barnes helped his mom in the kitchen washing dishes after watching her curate homemade desserts.

"From Sunday to Thursday, every day she would bake, and she would make banana bread, pound cakes, all kinds of stuff. And I'm in the kitchen with dishes," Barnes said.

Barnes soon began to venture and see where he was happiest in the world outside of the kitchen. He grappled with multiple life paths ranging from the military to barbering to real estate, but culinary arts was always his passion.

"The only thing that challenged me and kept my focus was food," he said.

Barnes, having lived in Columbus briefly as a teen, decided to return to the community he loved, and has since made a name for himself in the Fountain City.

"The community has been very supportive of me," Barnes said. "It really took me to another level in business."

Like many other entrepreneurs, Barnes felt the sting of COVID-19 when launching his business. The worldwide shutdown impacted his clientele and his traveling options for private events.

"The culinary industry suffered greatly during COVID. Lots of people began to lose passion for the art," he said.

Barnes prides himself on sticking with his love for food and not allowing the anything to break his spirit.

He said one of the things that kept him going was the first impressions he'd seen from people experiencing his food for the first time.

"For me to come out and present a dish to someone and they close their eyes with a gratified look on their face; that is the impression I live for," he said.

As he continues to pursue his passion and grows as a culinary artiste, Barnes wants to also start his search for a protégé to help them become a self-starter.

That said, he hopes to spend his glory days as an executive chef assisting students in their own fine dining endeavors.

To expand his culinary footprint in Columbus, Barnes has started working on several new projects.

The Maitre D will be an exclusive supper club featuring a monthly fine dining experience. Another is The Chef Shack food truck, where Barnes would like to share his food art with others by providing cuisine for residents on the go or at festivals. The food truck will feature a fine dining twist to fusion cuisine.

"When it comes to food here in Columbus I want to take the lead in what I feel is missing, that is passion," he said.