Chef Mawa McQueen is the proud owner and executive chef of Mawa’s Kitchen, Mawita, and The Crepe Shack (two locations) in Aspen and Snowmass Village, CO. Her life experiences growing up in Côte d'Ivoire and in Europe were the foundation that ignited her passion for bringing food and comfort to people from all walks of life. She has been recognized for both her talent as a chef and entrepreneur, awarded the Colorado Governor’s Minority Business Award multiple times, and being nominated for the James Beard Award Best Chef West.

 

In 2023, Mawa’s Kitchen received the honor of becoming a MICHELIN Guide recommended restaurant in Colorado’s inaugural edition. Dedicated to inspiring everyone with her food and her story, Mawa launched her first cookbook, Mawa’s Way, a collection of fan favorite recipes from Mawa’s Kitchen and a story of grit and perseverance to achieve one’s dreams. She followed up her cookbook with the release of her motivational novel Unstoppable Ambition. Along with her restaurants and highly successful catering business, Mawa is also the prominent owner of a granola company where she produces her own variation of gluten-free, protein-rich, and vegan granola called Mawa’s GrainFreeNola.