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About Us
Bringing Love Through Our Food
Chef Hip E’s Cocina Loca is the culmination of decades of passion, heritage, and heart. Rooted in Colorado’s rich Mexican American culture and infused with Cajun and barbecue influences from our travels, our signature Chicano Q cuisine is built on purposeful layers, tradition, and love. Every dish honors the generations who came before us and brings their spirit to your table.
Our Story
Chef Hip E’s Cocina Loca has been a dream in the making for generations. What you see today is not just a restaurant. It is the continuation of a family story that began long before our doors opened. Our kitchen stands on the foundation built by the women who came before us. Their hands shaped recipes that were never written down but passed on through memory, love, and countless shared meals.
While our cuisine honors our roots, our purpose goes even deeper. We create food that reflects the people and moments that shaped our chef’s life. Every pot stirred, every spice blended, and every recipe recreated from memory is a way of paying tribute to the family who inspired this lifelong calling. Cocina Loca is where their legacy lives on, reimagined for a new generation.
We did not set out simply to open a restaurant. We set out to share a piece of who we are. The pride, the stories, the laughter, the culture, and the beautiful chaos that makes a kitchen feel like home. When you eat with us, you are not just enjoying a meal. You are experiencing the soul behind it.
Thank you for being part of the next chapter of our family’s journey. We cannot wait to serve you.
Meet The Family
Ernie Estrada | Founder
The heart of Cocina Loca belongs to Chef Hip E, a cook long before he ever carried the title of chef. His earliest memories are of being brought into his family’s restaurant in Littleton, Colorado. His grandmother Helen was the first Hispanic woman to open a business there. It was in that restaurant, surrounded by the aroma of simmering pots and the rhythm of a working kitchen, that his path was set.
He grew up learning from the matriarchs of his family, women who cooked entirely from instinct. Their recipes were not measured. They were felt. They taught him that food is about soul, not perfection. These lessons guided him through culinary school, decades of industry experience, and every challenge the kitchen presented.
For Chef Hip E, cooking is not a profession. It is a calling. A lifelong commitment to honoring his heritage, his teachers, and the people who shaped him. He brings that devotion into every plate that leaves the kitchen. Each dish is more than food. It is a piece of his story.
Peace and Love - Chef Hip E.
Megan Estrada | Owner
I am the wife, mother, and General Manager behind Chef Hip E’s Cocina Loca. For over 20 years, I have worked alongside Chef Hip E, traveling, creating, and helping shape what we proudly call ChicanoQ. Being part of this small, family-run operation is an adventure I truly love, and I am excited to see where the future takes us.
Joe Estrada | Son of Ernie and Megan
I am Joe Estrada IV, the son, and I proudly work alongside my parents in our family restaurant. I am a 2025 graduate of Cooper High School, born in Denver, Colorado, and raised in Boone County, Kentucky. I love being part of our family’s story and helping carry it forward.