Chef Guas, how has McLean inspired your work?
McLean is the community where we raised our sons, Kemp and Spencer, both proud McLean High School alumni. Living near Neutral Ground, my goal was to build a colorful and cheerful neighborhood spot where locals and friends could drop in several times a week! And the same direction applies to the ingredients we use, coming from local community farmers.
For me, community isn’t just a concept—it’s a movement! This became clear in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic. When schools shut down and families struggled to put food on the table, I responded the best way I knew how: by getting into the kitchen. That immediate effort evolved into Chefs Feeding Families, a joint initiative with Real Food For Kids that provided nearly 400,000 free meals to students while helping restaurant workers stay employed during a critical time.
Fast forward to March 2022, when I traveled to Poland to support World Central Kitchen on the frontlines, helping prepare 10,000 meals each day for Ukrainian refugees. To further aid the cause, I founded the nonprofit The Community Spoon, raising over $20,000 based on the belief that feeding those in need is always the right choice. The warmth and generosity shown by this community during those moments remain a lasting influence on me, serving as a reminder that compassion and dignity ought to be our everyday standard for how we engage with each other.
How did Neutral Ground get its name?
The restaurant's name references the New Orleans term for street medians, a phrase born in the 1800s when Canal Street served as a neutral territory between the city's Creole and Anglo-American divisions. Over time, these medians remained common gathering areas for people of all backgrounds to discuss the issues of the city. In that same spirit, we envisioned Neutral Ground as a welcoming sanctuary where guests can set aside their work and politics, feeling unified in a welcoming atmosphere.
This issue's theme is “Food and Drink." Why is this important?
Food possesses a unique power to bring people together. I see it as a way to pass down our heritage and values across generations. Memories have a way of just naturally surfacing when we stir a simmering pot, stand around the grill, or gather at the table. That connection was vital for my father; as a Cuban exile who couldn't take my sister and me to his birthplace during our childhood, he kept his heritage alive in our home through our weekly Sunday Cuban cooking rituals. Those traditions gave us a lasting bond with Cuba and a proud sense of our roots.
What have your mentors taught you? My love for food began at an early age, learning from my Aunt “Boo” — Janice Bourgeois Macomber—at her fishing camp 45 minutes outside of Abbeville, Louisiana — and that's by boat. It was there that I received my very first cast-iron skillet and mastered the art of making a roux, all while watching her effortlessly prepare Duck Gumbo, Étouffée, and Shrimp Creole for friends and family.
Aunt Boo penned her own cookbook, Priestess of the Bayou, which should tell you a thing or two about her character. I was fortunate to be surrounded by women in my family who taught me specific techniques that helped build my culinary foundation — whether it was my mother's chicken livers and onions, my Grandmother Lili's tuna croquetas, or Great Aunt Patty's iconic pies. Their influence remains a constant presence in my cooking today.
Tell us about your cookbook Grill Nation.
Crafting cookbooks has been a deeply meaningful way for me to share my story with foodways that shaped my style in cooking. While hosting Travel Channel's American Grilled, I crossed the country in search of the boldest backyard flavors. I brought those experiences together in Grill Nation, offering pit-tested techniques, practical advice, and flavorful recipes for smoking, grilling, and barbecuing throughout the year. And, I am in the midst of starting to write another cookbook, which is a secret at the moment.
Any kitchen tips?
Ditch the metal spoon. It's the same reason that in my kitchen at home, you’ll find an extensive collection of wooden spoons accumulated over the years. There’s something about a piece of wood that just feels more soulful and organic than a piece of metal.
My husband says the secret to good food is adding love.
I have to agree with your husband — though I'd add that love is the secret ingredient you can't put a measurement on. Cooking is storytelling at its core, and honestly, that's what pulled me into this profession in the first place.
Fall offerings from Neutral Ground?
I'm hosting our second annual grilling series every Thursday in October with the help of our neighbor, The Organic Butcher, plus pop-up chefs making guest appearances with dishes that reflect their own backgrounds — like Filipino chef Paolo Dungca of Kayu in Washington, D.C. Also, my wife, Simone, brings over 30 years in public relations to everything we do, and creating memorable details is second nature to her — from flowers and ribbons to the design and presentation of each menu. She and I personally collaborate with every party, customizing the menu, cocktails, and wine selection to genuinely reflect the people celebrating.
Advice for emerging chefs?
Southern cooking has one rule: get out of your own way. The best dishes — the ones that simmer low and slow for hours, filling the whole house with that smell — don't need your help.
"We envisioned Neutral Ground as a sanctuary where guests can set aside work and politics."