David Guas

David Guas grew up in New Orleans. He exchanged his ten-year tenure as a corporate pastry chef for an entrepreneurial path in 2007 and worked in private consulting, boutique catering, cookbook authoring, and opened his New Orleans style eatery: Bayou Bakery Coffee Bar & Eatery. His first cookbook, DamGoodSweet - Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth New Orleans Style (Taunton Press, 2009) was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Dessert Cookbooks”.;[1] was a finalist for both the International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award in the American Category;[2] and won the James Beard Award in the Baking and Dessert Cookbook category.[3] In 1999, he married Public Relations professional Simone Rathlé.[4]

He is the owner of Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery in Arlington, Virginia.[5] which opened in 2010. The restaurant received mixed reviews, with The Washington Post, impressed with the interior, commenting that it was "better seen than served."[6]

In 2014, Guas announced plans to open a second Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery in Washington, D.C., located in Capitol Hill, that will occupy the historic carriage house that housed the horse-drawn ambulance and medic team commissioned by President Abraham Lincoln the year before his death.[7] It was built adjacent to Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, the oldest naval hospital in D.C., a monumental complex encompassing an entire block. In its rebirth, the landmark Hill Center serves as a thriving arts, culture and education center.[8] The Bayou Bakery closed two years after its opening and the space was taken over by James Beard award-winning chef Aaron Silverman.[9]

In 2019, he closed Lil'B, his Southern style cafe inside DC's Darcy Hotel. The restaurant was opened for less than two years. [10]

In April 2014, Travel Channel announced David Guas as the host of the new series American Grilled, which premiered July 2, 2014.[11][12]

Guas has appeared on The Today Show more than 20 times. He has also appeared on the Cooking Channel’s "Unique Sweets."[13] Food & Wine also named Bayou Bakery’s Muff-a-Lotta one of the “Best Sandwiches in the U.S.",[14] and later showcased the chef and his father in an eight-page feature detailing their travels to Cuba.[15] Guas was named the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s Pastry Chef of the Year[16] and Arlington Magazine featured Guas on the cover as “Best Chef of Arlington” in January 2014.[17]

Guas was a finalist for Food & Wine’s People’s Best New Chef in the Country[18] and has appeared on Food Network’s Chopped.[19][20]"

Guas serves on the board of Best Buddies of Virginia and the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans; was chosen by the U.S. State Department to participate in its Diplomatic Culinary Partnership Initiative in August 2012;[21] is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance; Slow Food USA; Share Our Strength; and is a founding member of District Hogs - group of local restaurant professionals who ride their motorcycles for fun, research, and charity.[22]

Guas resides in the Arlington, Virginia area with his wife, Simone Guas, and two sons, Spencer and Kemp. He is a hunter, fisherman, and motorcyclist. He rides a Harley-Davidson.[23]

• Guas, David; Raquel Pelzel (2009). DamGood Sweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style. Newtown, Connecticut: Taunton Press. pp. 60–64. ISBN 978-1-60085-118-6.
• Guas, David (2015). "Grill Nation: 200 Surefire Recipes, Tips, and Techniques to Grill Like a Pro." Birmingham, Alabama: Oxmoor House. ISBN 978-0848746384