Mawa McQueen

Chef Mawa McQueen is the proud owner and executive chef of multiple restaurants in Aspen and Snowmass Village, CO, Mawa’s Kitchen, Mawita, and The Crepe Shack (two locations). Her life experiences growing up on the Ivory Coast 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 skills as a chef and entrepreneur. She has been awarded the Colorado Governor’s Minority Business award, been nominated for James Beard Award Best Chef West, and became part of the MICHELIN Guide when Mawa’s Kitchen was recognized as a recommended restaurant in Colorado’s inaugural edition.

Dedicated to inspiring everyone with her food and her story, Mawa has written a cookbook, Mawa’s Way, which includes fan favorite recipes from Mawa’s Kitchen, as well as a story of grit and perseverance to achieve one’s dreams. In 2024, she wrote and published her first motivational book, Unstoppable Ambition, in both French and English to share more of her fascinating story and the transformative power of perseverance, ambition, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Mawa is also the prominent owner of a granola company where she produces Mawa’s GrainFreeNola, a delicious gluten-free, protein-rich, and vegan granola.

Chef Mawa’s impact goes beyond the kitchen, giving back to her communities. She is an alumna of the James Beard Foundation Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, and serves on the Isaacson School Executive Advisory Board, the Colorado Restaurant Foundation Board, the Ment’or Culinary Council, and the Sylvia Center Culinary Council. She continues to advocate for Africa and its people and serves on the board for Brake the Cycle, for which she helped raise over $20,000 to build a well to provide an entire village in Zambia with access to clean water. Chef Mawa is also an Ambassador for Action in Africa, a nonprofit that promotes community development and increasing the accessibility, affordability and quality of education in Uganda for both kids and adults.