Women’s History Month is here; frankly, I’m surprised at the lack of attention it’s getting. I’m not talking about the standard, Canva-created social media graphics announcing your businesses’ support of women—I’m talking about a deep dive. A headcount. A “hell yes this woman and this woman are running the world” with applause.

Particularly in this political climate, we are experiencing in 2023, there’s never been more of a need to focus more acutely on women. Our rights are under assault, and yet data continues to show that women are outpacing men to graduate college, single women outpace men in home ownership, and the wage growth gap continues to expand with women outpacing men for the last 6 months. Women are climbing to the top in multiple categories of success and yet story after story explains how the pandemic disproportionally affected women, particularly mothers. If this month is meant to highlight and pay respect to the hills women have had (and continue) to climb to fight for equality, then that’s exactly what we should be shouting from the rooftops.

I’ll stick to my lane for this piece and focus solely on the incredible women in food and hospitality in Boulder. I could open the can of worms that is the lack of equality women have in professional kitchens, but this article does a fantastic job, and I want to get off my soapbox. Women control or influence 85% of consumer spending, so I think it’s time we spotlight the plethora of women in Boulder feeding you (in some form), so you know when your dollar is supporting women. Local women who are running farms, restaurants, and food products companies are badass, there’s no other way to put it. There isn’t a woman I’ve met who isn’t juggling a dozen things at once, genuinely passionate about what they do, and is so supportive of other women and the collective work we are all doing to better our community.

When I started to brainstorm this list, I was elated to see just how many brilliant women are the head honchos in our restaurants. I cannot possibly include every woman on this list, so I’m sorry to those I may have missed. I’m also by no means the expert on all that these women are doing, so I’ve opted to only elaborate on a few—although ALL should be someone you seek out to meet and dine with.

Andrea Uzarowski, Owner and Chef – Süti & Co.

Andrea is the owner of Boulder’s new must-visit bakery, Süti & Co., hosting patrons in a hygge-filled historic home-turned coffee shop. Süti & Co. is dedicated to Andrea’s grandmother, the must-taste Danish shortbread recipes are adapted from her. Andrea isn’t just the baker of grandma’s recipes, she is a world-class chef, having a two-year stint at Noma, the three-Michelin-star restaurant and voted best in the world 2010-2012, 2014, and 2021. Andrea is bringing her culinary talents to the limelight this Spring with Süti Supper Club, an after-hours dinner pop-up, but you can snag an early taste of her savory skills every Tuesday with her Scandinavian-inspired fancy toast.

Lisa Balcom
Farow – Owner and Pastry Chef

Silvia, Claudia and Angelica Quijada
Pupusa Lover– Owners 

Caroline Clark
Basta & Dry Storage – Director of Beverage & Hospitality

Natalie Soward
Ash’Kara – Chef de Cuisine 

Kelly Kawachi
Blackbelly – Head Butcher 

Carlin Karr
Frasca – Wine Director

Shamane Simons
Shamane’s Bake Shoppe – Owner & Pastry Chef

Tabatha Klocke
Bootleg Betty – Owner & Head Mixtress

Isha Rae Desbin & Char Kay Desbin, Owners and Chefs – Rae’s & Kay’s Melting Pot

This mother-and-daughter duo is the real deal. Isha and Char opened Rae’s & Kay’s in 2020, serving up authentic Southern and Puerto Rican fare to-go. They shared in a Boulder Weekly article on their why: “Both cuisines have a lot in common and slaves created both styles of cooking,” says Kay, who has lived in and near Boulder since 1980. “One of the reasons we opened this business was just that there aren’t a lot of Black-owned businesses in Boulder. We wanted to help introduce people here to Black culture.”

Owners (& Co-Owners)

Erin Banis – Japango

Catherine and Elizabeth Neckes – Gemini

Marcy Miller – Organic Sandwich Co. 

Lindsay Shaw – Lindsay’s Boulder Deli 

Agnes Garrigou – Le French Café

Stella Spanu – Stella’s Cucina

Erika Whitaker – Basta & Dry Storage

Bonnie Rada – The Hungry Toad

Whitney Rajotte – Fringe & The Local

Nafisa Ramos – Beleza Coffee Bar

Kristi Persinger – January Coffee

We couldn’t walk away from making this list of women who lead Boulder’s food scene without including these powerhouses:

Anne Cure, Owner– Cure Organic Farm

Kena Guttridge, Co-Owner – Ollin Farms

Jill Skokan, Co-Owner – Black Cat Farm

Christina Manning Lebek, Owner – 100 Times Farm – Modern Farmsteads

Mackenzie Sehlke, Executive Director – Boulder County Farmers Market

Megan Bucholz, Owner – Local Table Tours

Casey Easton, Owner – Food Lab

Savor Productions Team

Hey, that’s us! We are a team of six women who are passionate about building community through food events like First Sip and First Bite.
— Rachael, Nikki, Jenn, Sabina, Hailey, and Jessica