THE PANDEMIC

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Acting before government officials or local school districts had a clear plan in place, Chef David - a long time food insecurity activist - went rogue. On March 17, 2020, Guas launched the first rapid relief response to feed local students and families nutritious, plant-forward meals the day after the local public school system shut down. 

 

Guas knew he had to set out to work immediately. Drawing upon his experience as a New Orleans native, following the devastation of his community and the loss of his parents’ home in the aftermath of Katrina, Guas created a make-shift kitchen outside his restaurant, purchasing all the produce with his own money. Guas began serving Camellia Brand Red Beans and Rice, a classic New Orleans comfort food, to Arlington's students and their families. The relief effort grew into a far-reaching and highly-coordinated initiative – Guas co-founded Chefs Feeding Families - a collaboration with Real Food for Kids to feed students and families in need while also supporting employment in the restaurant community. Guas sought to reach as many students as possible, adopting a "no questions asked" policy for meal pick-up. Guas and Chefs Feeding Families prepared over 280,000 meals. 

 

COMMUNITY SPOON CAMPAIGN: AFGHAN REFUGEES

 

In 2021, Guas once again applied the same community-driven spirit, getting involved immediately and independently. Guas launched the "Community Spoon” campaign, providing meals and groceries to Afghan refugees seeking safety in Northern Virginia. As a Cuban American, Guas was born into an immigrant family, giving him an appreciation for the traumatic travels of those who have been displaced from their home country. 

 

COMMUNITY SPOON CAMPAIGN: UKRAINE + THE SURROUNDING AREAS

 

Less than a year later, Guas launched his second fundraising effort with the Community Spoon - this time to benefit World Central Kitchen and its relief efforts in Ukraine and the surrounding areas. Guas launched this fundraising effort while volunteering with World Central Kitchen on the frontlines of the crisis in Przemyśl, Poland - less than 8 miles from the Ukraine Border. He arrived only three weeks after the main kitchen in Przemyśl had undergone construction. Guas implemented long-lasting recipes, setting out to make baby food - a resource that was not readily available. For 15 days, Chef Guas worked around the clock with more than 75 other volunteers from around the world, preparing food for those in need. In the words of Guas, “We need to find ways to restore hope and foster a commitment and connection to the community, one meal at a time." 

 

LONGTIME SUPPORTER OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

 

For over 15 years, Guas has been a strong activist and supporter of the mission for Real Food for Kids - a non-profit organization that advocates for increased access to healthy food and nutrition education in neighborhood schools throughout Virginia. At the onset of the pandemic, Guas approached Real Food for Kids to co-found and coordinate locations throughout Northern Virginia for meals to be distributed to families in need. 

 

Guas is a longtime supporter of non-profit organizations, including Blue Star Families, empowering military families to thrive. He has been a contributor for several years to DC Central Kitchen, a nationally recognized "community kitchen" that recycles food from around Washington, D.C., and uses it as a tool to train unemployed adults to develop work skills while providing thousands of meals for local service agencies. With the Human Rights Campaign, Guas helps raise money through his participation in Chefs For Equality, building awareness for an inclusive society. Additionally, he has a personal commitment of over 10 years to Arlington's PathForward, an organization that promotes stable, secure, and independent lives for all neighbors, free from the threat of homelessness. Guas sees restaurants as vital cornerstones of a neighborhood, providing a common ground through food, and believes chefs have a duty to serve the community.

 

CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

 

Committed to responsible sourcing of ingredients and sustainable practices, Chef David Guas makes ecological stewardship a priority. 

 

As a chef, cookbook author, and restaurant owner for over 25 years, it has been a core value for Chef Guas to purchase ingredients from local farms and ranchers, supporting regional agriculture and reducing the environmental impact of long-distance food transport. Viewing these producers as artisans, allows Guas and other chefs to better understand the seasonality and origins of ingredients, preserving foodways that align with sustainable practices.