Grill Master: David Guas' Barbecue Boot Camp

Until very recently, David Guas was little more than your typical backyard griller. "I have grilled since I was young," Guas says, "but it was one of those things that I would always do at home, not necessarily professionally."

That changed when the Travel Channel asked Guas to host and serve as a judge on last summer's traveling competition series, "American Grilled." A longtime chef who owns the Bayou Bakery, Guas had already learned the basic tricks of the TV trade from his years as a frequent cooking segment contributor on NBC's "Today Show," as well as other gigs, including as a guest expert on the Food Network's "Chopped." But he did a deep dive into the subject of grilling, learning about all the things that go into the style of cooking. The research also informs his new book, "Grill Nation: 200 Surefire Recipes, Tips and Techniques to Grill Like A Pro." This Saturday, July 11, he offers a cooking class based on the book, part of the professionally-guided "Barbecue Boot Camp" series at the Hill Center in Capitol Hill.

"I haven't decided what I'm cooking yet," Guas says. "At least three different items out of the book's 200 recipes." He'll prepare something sweet, as well as a type of sauce or glaze, maybe a type of meat - but not at the expense of a vegetable. "I really want to highlight the vegetable aspect, to kind of get away from the traditional proteins," he says. Participants will help Guas with a few basic sous-chef tasks, such as chopping and dicing, and will get to eat what he prepares.

If they want more, they can stop by Guas' Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar and Eatery in the same Old Navy Hospital complex. This is Guas' second location, after opening the first in Arlington in 2010. The focus is on celebrating the cuisines of the Deep South, in particular New Orleans. A Louisiana native, Guas moved to D.C. in 1998 to be part of the opening culinary team at DC Coast and the broader Passion Food Hospitality group of restaurants.

Calling his occasional TV work lagniappe, a New Orleans term for "something extra," Guas intends to open more Bayou Bakeries in the D.C. area, but vows to do it with as much careful deliberation as he took in securing the Capitol Hill location, which fits the concept well. Says Guas, "This neighborhood specifically reminds me of New Orleans a lot."

"Barbecue Boot Camp" is Saturday, July 11, at 11 a.m. Hill Center in the Old Navy Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Tickets are $85, which includes tastings. Call 202-549-4172 or visit HillCenterDC.org