Chef Mawa McQueen Brings Crepe Therapy Café to Boulder
When Chef Mawa McQueen speaks, you feel it — in her laughter, her honesty, and her fire.
It’s the same warmth that greets guests at her beloved Crepe Therapy Café in Aspen and luckily now in Boulder—a place built not from big investors or glossy plans but from grit, faith, and an unwavering belief in community—the kind that feels right at home here in Colorado. Guided by that faith and fueled by perseverance, she weathered countless setbacks, from financial challenges to a pandemic, without losing her sense of purpose.
McQueen’s rise was never cushioned by capital. “I don’t have a million dollars,” she said. “I worked for every penny. I wanted to serve my community, but when you don’t have investors, you fight for every inch.” For years she was told no — until one of those no’s turned into a yes. That perseverance became the soul of Crepe Therapy — a restaurant built from intention, not ego.
“When something is for you, it’s for you,” she says with conviction. “It won’t be delivered to someone else. God doesn’t pass on what’s meant for you.” It’s that quiet certainty that has carried her from the Ivory Coast to the Rockies—and into every new venture she creates.
Photo Credit: Casey Wilson
Where Grit, Flavor, and Heart Found Their Home in the Colorado Mountains
Born in the Ivory Coast and raised in the suburbs of Paris, Chef Mawa McQueen learned early what it meant to work hard and dream beyond her circumstances—never allowing barriers to define her path. A move to London helped her find her voice; a visa lottery brought her to the U.S.; and a leap of faith led her straight to the Colorado mountains. Mawa’s story starts far from the Rockies, but her dream of Colorado began decades ago—on a television screen. “Thirty years ago, I was watching The Young and the Restless. Victor took his girlfriend to Aspen on his private jet,” she laughs. “It was so beautiful. I said, one day when I go to America, I’m going to Aspen.” Years later, she did exactly that—packing up her life, driving cross-country from Maine to Colorado, and never looking back. The moment she arrived, she knew: Aspen was home.
When I saw Main Street in Aspen for the first time, I knew this was home. The mountains speak to me — they heal me.”
In Aspen, Mawa started small, cooking for others out of sheer determination and heart. That spirit grew into Mawa’s Kitchen, now one of the region’s most beloved gathering spots, followed by The Crepe Shack, Mawita, and her line of grain-free granola that’s as bold and vibrant as she is. Every step of her journey—every setback, every risk—has been fueled by her belief that food connects us, heals us, and tells our stories. It’s a journey rooted in authenticity, community, and the kind of perseverance that resonates deeply across the Front Range.
Photo Credit: Casey Wilson
Connection Over Transaction
For Chef Mawa McQueen, food is a bridge—not a business model. “How can we make it less about the transaction and more about human connection?” she asks. When opening Crepe Therapy Café in Boulder, she even considered skipping Wi-Fi altogether. “I wanted people to actually talk to one another—to look up, to connect.”
Her philosophy is deeply rooted in nature. “When you’re hiking by the rivers and mountains, it’s healing,” she says. “People are depressed because they’re disconnected from the earth. We’ve lost that. I’m not a city girl anymore—I need to feel the trees, the air, the quiet. That’s how humans are supposed to live.”
It’s this grounded perspective that has shaped her legacy—one built not on trends but on connection. From Aspen to Boulder, Chef Mawa McQueen continues to create spaces that nourish both body and soul, where food becomes a catalyst for community, conversation, and belonging.
Photo Credit: Casey Wilson
Unveiling The Boulder Chapter
Her dream for Boulder echoes the one that first took shape in Aspen—to create a place where locals linger, families connect, and everyone leaves a little lighter than they came. Every crêpe tells part of her story—from the Ivory Coast to France, from Aspen to Boulder—and every bite is a love letter to resilience, community, and the art of slowing down. Coming to Boulder and finally opening that dream café felt like a full-circle moment for Chef Mawa. “Everybody congratulated me, and I cried,” she admits.
“It felt like a real achievement—not just a space, but a beginning.” In a city filled with incredible restaurants, Chef Mawa McQueen’s story shines brighter—a journey built on grit, determination, and genuine connection. Her Michelin recognition and James Beard nomination are just chapters in a much larger story—one defined by heart, heritage, and the belief that food has the power to bring people home.
Visit the new Crepe Therapy Cafe in Boulder at: 2273 31st St. Unit 40 Boulder, CO 80301
Cheers to you, Chef Mawa McQueen. We cannot wait to see what this year looks like as you continue to unveil your dreams in Boulder.