Hearthside Chat with Don Guerra of Barrio Bread
Exploring the Cottage Baking Movement and the Path to Growth
February 9 / 7:00 - 8:00 pm ET
Join us for an inspiring Hearthside Chat with Don Guerra, the James Beard Award–winning Founder and Head Baker of Barrio Bread in Tucson, Arizona. Don started Barrio Bread by transforming his garage into a kitchen and selling his naturally fermented loaves from the back of his car. What began as a small cottage operation eventually grew into a nationally recognized bakery deeply rooted in community and regional grain traditions.
Don, in conversation with Grace Garay of Nomad Bakehouse, will explore the rapid rise of cottage bakeries over the past several years and why small, neighborhood-based bakeries play an increasingly meaningful role in today’s baking landscape. He’ll reflect on:
At the heart of Don’s story is his belief in the Community-Supported Bakery (C.S.B.) model, which thrives on the close, long-standing relationships he builds with customers, farmers, millers, and local partners. This community-centered approach helped sustain Barrio Bread in its early years and continues to shape Don’s commitment to mentoring emerging bakers and strengthening a vibrant regional grain economy.
Don Guerra is the founder and head baker of Barrio Bread and a nationally recognized leader in community-based baking and regional grain revival. With a background in education and more than three decades of baking experience, Don has pioneered a unique field-to-loaf model that connects farmers, millers, bakers, and eaters through heritage grains grown in the Southwest.
His award-winning bakery has become a hub for flavor, culture, and sustainable food systems. Don’s work champions biodiversity, strengthens regional grain economies, and celebrates the agricultural heritage of the Sonoran Desert. In recognition of his innovation and impact, Don received the 2022 James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker.
Beyond the bakery, Don leads Barrio Grains and Barrio Bagel & Slice, expanding access to locally grown grain products and inspiring a new generation of bakers. He continues to teach, collaborate, and advocate nationally — sharing knowledge and building resilient food communities grounded in health, craft, and connection.
Deeply rooted in Tucson, Don’s work is both a love letter and a lifelong commitment to the region he calls home. He draws daily inspiration from the desert landscape, the farmers who cultivate it, and the people who make up its vibrant community. Through his efforts, Don continues to strengthen Tucson’s identity as a world-class food city — one that honors its heritage, uplifts local producers, and celebrates the rich cultural and ecological diversity of the Sonoran Desert.
Grace Garay is the founder and head baker of Nomad Bakehouse, a Cottage Law bakery in Orlando, Fl. In late 2018, after over a decade in the hospitality industry working in everything from bakeries, to restaurants, hotels and resorts both in BOH and FOH, Grace settled in Orlando in the hopes of turning what had been merely a vision for years into reality. Nomad began at the start of 2020 and at the cusp of the Covid-19 pandemic; as supply chains faltered she began to get many requests for bread. What started out as a few hand-mixed loaves a week turned into hundreds alongside thoughtfully crafted sourdough pastries using solely stone milled flours from Carolina Ground. In the summer of 2011, Grace graduated with an AA in Baking and Pastry Arts from St.Philip’s College in San Antonio,Tx before graduating from The French Pastry School in Chicago, Il in 2014. Grace was born in Miami, Fl and raised between Honduras and the U.S; moving often. Grace is first generation Honduran and Puerto Rican.
