Chef David Guas

For centuries New Orleans has retained its character as a city with a unique, intoxicating charm - those born and raised there, like David Guas, have a deep appreciation for its rituals and culinary traditions. Growing up, Guas would often get sent off for the weekends - away from the mischief of New Orleans - to his Aunt Boo’s in Abbeville, Louisiana for some good, clean fun. And, that is how it all began for David Guas- punishment in the kitchen became his pleasure at the stove learning the nuances of a roux with a worn wooden spoon.

Guas began his professional culinary career as an associate pastry chef at the prestigious Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. It wasn’t long before he was invited to join a new enterprise in Washington, DC as executive pastry chef; Guas eventually became corporate pastry chef, developing dessert menus for six of Passion Food Hospitality's highly acclaimed restaurants over the ensuing decade - catapulting his career in the culinary arena.

After the devastation Hurricane Katrina, Guas knew he had to document the dishes that were important to his heritage. Taking time off to consult and write a cookbook was a way to celebrate the restaurants, bakeries, and candy corner shops that continue to thrive in the Crescent City as well as institutions that are long-gone. Guas' cookbook, Dam Good Sweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style [Taunton Press] is the result of a deeply personal, gorgeously photographed, generous gift of some of his best recipes. The book was a James Beard Award finalist in the Baking and Dessert Cookbook category and was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Dessert Cookbooks.” It was also a finalist for the prestigious International Association of Culinary Professionals [IACP] Cookbook Award in the American Category.

This charismatic chef, widely familiar from his frequent appearances on "The Today Show," “The Talk,” cameos on the Food Network, as a co-celebrity judge on “Chopped” and “Chopped Junior,” and brought a rugged charm to his host and co-judge appearances on "American Grilled," Travel Channel’s 13-episode high-heat, high-stakes cooking competition program, Summer 2014. Guas, a two-time Food & Wine “People’s Best New Chef: Mid-Atlantic” nominee, has garnered national praise in publications like Southern Living, Garden & Gun, Saveur, and Bon Appétit for showcasing the soul of the South in his sinfully delicious, Louisiana-style favorites and signature desserts at his neighborly Arlington, Virginia restaurant, established in 2010, Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery.  

After Guas completed his travels visiting 13 historical and captivating cities as featured on “American Grilled,” Guas penned his second cookbook, Grill Nation: 200 Surefire Recipes, Tips, and Techniques to Grill like a Pro, in 2015 by Oxmoor House.

In early 2022, Guas spent two weeks, working 10–12-hour days, in Poland during the Ukraine crisis to cook with World Central Kitchen and produce multiple thousands of meals for Ukrainian refugees fleeing their native country.  Chef Guas is the co-founder of Chefs Feeding Families with Real Food for Kids which launched during the Covid-19 pandemic; a member of the Food Security Task Force, in partnership with Arlington County Department of Human Services, he was tapped by the U.S. State Department to participate in its Diplomatic Culinary Partnership Initiative; and is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, Slow Food USA, Share Our Strength, and Chefs for Equality. In 2019, the Wild American Shrimp Processors Association named David Guas Chef of the Year. In 2021, he was honored for his work with Chefs Feeding Families with the Good Neighbor award, presented by the Restaurant Association of Metro Washington. He formerly served on the board of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans; the board of Best Buddies of Virginia; as a spokesperson for the National Honey Board; and on the advisory council of the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival.

Residing in northern Virginia, Guas continues to fiercely guard the culture of his childhood. During the sporting months he connects with his youth of customary hunting and fishing sojourns that bring a natural rhythm to the flavors and products at his restaurant. The unexpected profusion of Cuban influences is a nice surprise in select dishes, but fundamentally organic with his Cuban heritage from his émigré father who exposed him to the traditions, techniques, and flavor profiles of his native country.