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 was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Dessert Cookbooks”.; was a finalist for both the International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award in the American Category; and won the James Beard Award in the Baking and Dessert Cookbook category. In 1999, he married Public Relations professional Simone Rathlé.
Restaurants
He is the owner of Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery in Arlington, Virginia. 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." 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. 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. The Bayou Bakery closed two years after its opening and the space was taken over by James Beard award-winning chef Aaron Silverman. In 2019, he closed Lil'B, his Southern style cafe inside DC's Darcy Hotel. The restaurant was opened for less than two years.
Television
In April 2014, Travel Channel announced David Guas as the host of the new series American Grilled, which premiered July 2, 2014. Guas has appeared on The Today Show more than 20 times. He has also appeared on the Cooking Channel’s "Unique Sweets." Food & Wine also named Bayou Bakery’s Muff-a-Lotta one of the “Best Sandwiches in the U.S.", and later showcased the chef and his father in an eight-page feature detailing their travels to Cuba. Guas was named the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s Pastry Chef of the Year and Arlington Magazine featured Guas on the cover as “Best Chef of Arlington” in January 2014. Guas was a finalist for Food & Wine’s People’s Best New Chef in the Country and has appeared on Food Network’s Chopped."
Community service
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; 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.
Personal life
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.
