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.
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.
Innovation in Fast Food with Colonel Restaurant
Steve Ells, founder of Chipotle, introduces Colonel, a new restaurant focused on revolutionizing fast food through innovation. The restaurant incorporates a robotic arm for efficient food preparation, introduces new menu items, and emphasizes high-quality ingredients. Ells discusses his journey from founding Chipotle in 1993, the challenges faced, successful menu additions, and the brand's inspiration for contemporary restaurants.
Transforming Fast Food Labor with Automated Systems
Colonel addresses labor challenges in the fast food industry by integrating automated systems to streamline operations and enhance employee experience. The restaurant's approach aims to reduce employee turnover by offering higher wages, advanced technology, and a redefined work environment. Ells emphasizes the significance of automation in providing more meaningful and efficient job opportunities.
Future Prospects and Expansion of Colonel Concept
With a focus on scalability and efficiency, Colonel's hub-and-spoke model simplifies the replication of restaurants by minimizing infrastructure requirements. Ells envisions rapid growth for the concept, highlighted by easy setup processes and the utilization of a centralized kitchen for efficient food preparation. The restaurant's innovative approach to fast food and automation sets the stage for broad potential in the culinary landscape.
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.
Got a question, comment, future guest idea, fact to share, fun fact to share, less-fun fact to share? Send us a voice memo and we will listen to it, and may feature your message on the show!