Dining Series With Chef Mawa McQueen

Photography by Darren Bridges

This summer in Aspen, the highly regarded Mawa’s Kitchen introduces its three-part summer dining series. Mawa McQueen, the head chef of the restaurant, was a 2022 James Beard Awards semifinalist for Best Chef: Mountain.

As the owner and chef of the only Black-owned restaurants in town, McQueen encourages diners to step outside of the box and enjoy something new. Attendees at the summer series events can expect flavors from New Orleans, the East Coast and Africa. As for the usual menu, McQueen highly recommends the Chicken Yassa. “It’s a delicious and very popular African dish,” says McQueen.

The Lineup

A Taste Of New Orleans: Jumbo Shrimp & Crawfish Boil

• Kick off the summer with a crawfish boil! On June 11th from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm, guests can enjoy all-you-can-eat shrimp and crawfish for just $85 a person, but don’t forget to save room for the strawberry and rhubarb pie. Tickets can be purchased here.

Annual Summer Lobster Bake 

• Join Chef McQueen as she reminisces on her time spent on the East Coast during the July 16th Lobster Bake. From 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm, the $125 ticket gets you Two Roots Farm’s Green Salad, New England Clam Chowder with Oyster Crackers, 1.5 lbs of Steamed Maine Lobster served with Drawn Butter and Maine Wild Blueberry Pie for dessert. Tickets can be purchased here.

A Taste of Africa & The Caribbean Dinner

• Inspired by Chef McQueen’s childhood on Africa’s Ivory Coast, guests can transport their taste buds halfway around the world without leaving Aspen. On August 20th, from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm diners will experience exciting new tastes. Dishes include Sweet Plantain Beignets, Tuna pastel served with spicy sauce, Grilled Whole Colorado Bass Yassa served with Onion Confit, Lime, Mustard Sauce, Coastal Roasted Lamb Leg Choukouya and Jamaican Style Curry Goat. Tickets are $98.00 a person and can be purchased here. 

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