This Is TASTE

416: Chipotle Founder Steve Ells

Jun 10, 2024

Chipotle founder Steve Ells discusses his culinary journey from working with Jeremiah Tower to opening Chipotle. He talks about his new restaurant Kernel with a robotic arm, plant-based chicken sandwiches, and the importance of quality ingredients and employee empowerment. The podcast also covers his favorite food cities, biking experiences in Europe, and culinary expertise.

45:40

Episode guests

Steve Ells

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Quick takeaways

Steve Ells introduces Kernel, a robotic-arm restaurant revolutionizing fast food.

Kernel addresses labor challenges through automation to improve employee experience and streamline operations.

Deep dives

Diverse Culinary Offerings in Las Vegas

Las Vegas boasts a diverse dining scene with culinary offerings spanning various cuisines, styles, and budgets, featuring restaurants from renowned figures like Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, Giada dell 'Arentis, and Guy Fieri. The city highlights a mix of established culinary icons and emerging talents, creating an exciting and varied gastronomic landscape.

Empowering Employees for the Future

01:07

Intro

3min

Experience at STARS and Convincing Jeremiah Tower

3min

Building Chipotle and Innovating in the Fast Food Industry

20min

Revolutionizing Dining with Robotic Arms and Innovative Menu Additions

14min

Exploring Cookbooks, Recipes, and Restaurants

2min

Exploring Favorite Food Cities and Biking in Europe with Tour de France Memories

2min

Exploring Culinary Expertise and Chipotle Orders

3min

Where has the founder of Chipotle been eating around New York City, and what does he have to say about the future of restaurants? It’s really fun having Steve Ells into the studio to cover some serious ground, including his early cooking career working with Jeremiah Tower at Stars in San Francisco and what led him to open a single burrito shop on the campus of the University of Denver in 1993. We also find out about his latest big idea, an exciting new restaurant called Kernel, that has a robotic arm in the kitchen and an amazing plant-based chicken sandwich. We talk about it all with one of the strongest minds in food.

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