Photo: Scott Suchman

David Guas is the chef/owner of Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery in Arlington, VA, and Washington, DC. He’s also the host of American Grilled on the Travel Channel and author of Grill Nation: 200 Surefire Recipes, Tips, and Techniques to Grill Like a Pro and DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style.

1. One thing you don’t know about me is that I was a competitive swimmer for 14 years. I went as far as the Olympic trials for butterfly.

2. If I could trade places with one chef it would be British Chef Jamie Oliver. He is grounded, a father and an advocate for healthy eating for children.

3. If there was no honey, I’d have no reason to live.

4. My go-to drink is Miller Lite in a can or Bourbon on the rocks, preferably while smoking a Cuban cigar.

5. If I were on death row my last meal would be 10 pounds of crawfish and an ice-cold six pack.

6. If I could change one thing about me it would be nothing. I really do not have regrets. I am not perfect, but I am comfortable with who I am.

7. My favorite junk food is Oreo cookies. I eat the whole cookie and not the center first.

8. If I wasn’t a restaurant operator, I’d love to be a landscape architect or a white water rafting guide, or travel the world on a motorcycle and meet interesting people.

9. If I could have a meal with anyone living or dead, it would be with my grandfather, Abuelo, who lived a grand life in Cuba. I’d also like at the table Salvador Dali, Julia Child, Justin Wilson, Ronald Reagan, Steven Spielberg and the Pope. Just imagine the conversations!

10. I would make them seared cowboy-cut bone-in ribeye with a stuffed and loaded baked potato, sautéed spinach and chocolate peanut butter ice cream.