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How Mawa’s Kitchen is making its mark on Aspen’s dining scene

Chef and restaurateur Mawa McQueen braved many ups and downs on the way to building a number of successful businesses in the upscale resort town.

Patricia Cobe, Senior Editor

February 17, 2022

Mawa McQueen grew up in an immigrant family in France and was educated at a leading culinary school in Paris, but was only offered dishwasher jobs once she graduated. She made her way to England to work as a nanny so she could learn English and realize her dream of coming to America—a country she saw portrayed on TV as a place where Black people could excel.

Mawa McQueen
Mawa McQueen

She started in front of house jobs in the U.S., then became a personal chef, caterer and restaurant owner, experiencing business failures along the way. “I didn’t give up,” McQueen says, and now, she operates several businesses, including a high-end granola company she began during the pandemic. Listen as McQueen shares her story and her plans for the future.

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About the Author

Patricia Cobe

Senior Editor

Pat plans and executes the menu sections of Restaurant Business and FoodService Director, covering food and beverage trends, Menu R&D, profiles of chefs and restaurateurs and Technomic research. She also contributes to the digital content of both RB and FSD and is editor of two weekly e-newsletters, Recipe Report and On the Menu. Pat’s weekly podcast, MenuFeed, covers a wide range of menu topics through interviews with chefs and operators.

Pat came to Winsight from Hearst, where she was an executive editor. She is the co-author of the Mompreneurs series of books as well as two cookbooks. She graduated from Cornell University and earned a Masters in Journalism from Boston University. She is active in several professional organizations, including Les Dames d’Escoffier and the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC), and serves as a judge for the James Beard Media Awards.

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