Don Guerra is known by many titles. The foremost is likely as the baker and founder of Tucson’s Barrio Bread. Next would be as the winner of Outstanding Baker in last year’s James Beard Awards. For Don’s former students, he’s known as Mr. Guerra. To a wide-eyed, full-cheeked, one-year-old girl who’s never too far from her father, he’s dad.
With Guerra’s partner Janelle holding an attentive baby Gigi at her hip, and a stroller parked in whatever clear corner they can find in the bakery, the sight of a family affair is nothing new to frequenters of Barrio Bread. Sleeves rolled high, with a look of determined calmness on his face, Don gets to work.
No Pain, No Grain
2022 marked two significant milestones in the life of the Barrio Bread baker. First, Guerra’s previously mentioned win at the “Oscars of the food world,” where he was recognized for his work with the ancient grains of the Sonoran Desert. Just months after, the birth of his daughter would mark a truly memorable year.
Though Don’s fan base grew exponentially after he became “the man with the Beard,” his climb to culinary acclaim was no overnight feat. And while some may rest at the top of a plateau after an extraordinary year, Guerra shows no sign of slowing down, as he introduced Barrio Bread to Gilbert in the East Valley in October 2023.
Don’s energy makes it clear that he is excited to get back in front of the oven at his new location. Mornings start early (before 6am). Despite that, Don makes the dough, preps the loaves, and sets up his retail tables with a smile on his face. There is electricity in the air at the new bakery as Guerra prepares several hundred loaves for visitors queuing out front.
Don’s Early Life
Don was born into a world of flour. With memories of his nana’s tortillas and mother’s baked breads, pies, and cookies in his childhood home in Tempe, the now-celebrated culinary figure became well-versed in the art of food at an early age. While he earned his chops in the kitchen from the women in his family, his father kindled his entrepreneurial spirit at his barbershop, where young Guerra started a shoeshine business at just eight years old.
After graduating high school in 1989, he briefly studied Anthropology at the University of Arizona before heading north to Flagstaff. There, Guerra reignited his relationship with baking and worked his way up, until he took on a partnership that landed him his first bakery at the age of 25. He moved to a second location a few years later.
The pressures of owning a business and managing employees proved overwhelming for 28-year-old Guerra, and he returned to Tucson to pursue his teaching credentials. Upon graduating with his degree, he became a teacher for several years.
Barrio Bread is Born
Craving the artistry and creativity required for bread-making, Guerra left his teaching position to open a bakery in his two-car garage. He would later name it Barrio Bread, with “barrio” translating to “neighborhood” in Spanish, after his neighbors who became his business’s first customers and supporters.
Guerra’s previous endeavors equipped him better than 25-year-old Don, and he devised a plan that allowed him to save and splurge wisely. He set up operations at home and used the money he would’ve spent renting a retail space to source high-quality baking equipment. That included an oven imported from Verona, Italy. Guerra’s next investment would be the most important in his career: locally sourced grains.
The Baker, The Educator, The Entrepreneur, & The Family Man
Tucson happens to posses the oldest agricultural history in the United States, with ancient grains tracing back to the late 17th century. That makes it one of the most fascinating culinary landscapes in the world. Unfortunately, demand hasn’t always swayed favorably for certain variations of the Old World wheat, causing a number of them to disappear, including White Sonora Wheat. That story inspired Guerra.
Don hoped to use traditional French and Italian bread-baking techniques and his signature sourdough starter to bring out the rustic flavors of the legendary wheat. Guerra believed in the economic benefits of sourcing ingredients locally, and wanted to capture the uniqueness of the White Sonora Wheat grain. In the process, Don heeded the call to preserve the Latin and Yaqui tribe ancestral roots of the Sonoran desert for future generations.
Moving forward with the community’s help, Guerra partnered with local groups and nonprofits to earn a research grant to revive White Sonora Wheat. Family-owned farms, including BKW Farms and Hayden Flour Mills, soon joined Guerra’s mission and helped him execute his plan with the condition that he would buy a portion of the crops the farms raised.
Once those grains were grown and harvested Don got to work. Over time, customers took notice of the gorgeously deep brown colors and robust taste of Don’s heritage grain loaves. From there, Barrio Bread was produced and distributed all over the Tucson community.
Return to the East Valley
The chaos of hundreds of loaves being prepped and baked is centered by the fierce focus of a baker at work. Like a conductor directing a full-scale symphony orchestra, Don methodically navigates through the steps of rolling, shaping, scoring, and baking each loaf sold in Gilbert. Guerra’s close relationship with his product was certainly reinvigorated with the opening of his new satellite location.
Gilbert’s Barrio Bread location collaborates with Hayden Flour Mills and will feature items unique from those in Tucson. Focused on highlighting what Hayden Flour Mills produces, the Gilbert bakery will stay true to Guerra’s mission of using locally sourced ingredients, including Einkorn and Purple Barley. Residents of greater Phoenix will finally have the chance to experience the artisan mastery and craftsmanship of Arizona’s most admired baker.
written by: kimmy johnston | photographed by: luke irvin