Chipotle Reopens Doors to Restaurant No. 1 Following First Renovation in 24 Years
September 07 2017 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
The first-ever Chipotle opened in 1993 across from the
University of Denver, where founder and CEO Steve Ells first
started serving burritos inspired by San Francisco Mission
District
Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) has reopened its doors today
to the first-ever Chipotle restaurant in its hometown of Denver
following a summer long renovation. The original Chipotle location
opened in the former Dolly Madison ice cream shop on East Evans
Avenue across from the University of Denver, where founder,
chairman and CEO Steve Ells himself prepared delicious food and
served the very first Chipotle customers.
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde
Park, New York, Ells used a small loan from his father to open the
first Chipotle, which was inspired by tacquerias he’d visit in San
Francisco's Mission District while cooking at the famed Stars
restaurant. Ells intended to use the first Chipotle as a cash cow
to help him open a fine dining restaurant. Very quickly, however,
Chipotle’s fresh and delicious food, prepared using classic cooking
techniques, but served quickly and affordably, took off. Ells
opened the second Chipotle in 1995 and the third in 1996. Today,
Chipotle has more than 2,300 locations worldwide and more than
60,000 employees. Despite its growth, the menu has remained
remarkably similar, with only a few additions, including the
burrito bowl, salads, vegetarian Sofritas, and most recently queso
(the most requested item Chipotle didn’t previously serve).
Much of the work at Evans was done behind the scenes. Chipotle
expanded the cramped basement of the 850-square-foot restaurant to
create additional storage and food prep space, allowing them to
make the small open kitchen – still a hallmark design element of
all Chipotle locations – more efficient. Work in the dining room
updates the style of the small space, while preserving the original
charm of the first restaurant.
“The Evans restaurant will always be special to me,” said Ells.
“I opened that restaurant with the novel idea to show that food
that was served fast didn’t have to be a typical fast food
experience, and with the hope of financing a ‘real restaurant.’
Today, Chipotle has become plenty real and we are having a
significant impact on the way people eat by making delicious food,
made with whole, unprocessed ingredients available and affordable
to everyone. That isn’t something I could even have imagined when I
opened that first restaurant 24 years ago.”
ABOUT CHIPOTLE
Steve Ells, Founder, Chairman and CEO, started Chipotle with the
idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food
experience. Today, Chipotle continues to offer a focused menu of
burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads made from fresh,
high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking
methods and served in an interactive style allowing people to get
exactly what they want. Chipotle seeks out extraordinary
ingredients that are not only fresh, but that are raised
responsibly, with respect for the animals, land, and people who
produce them. Chipotle prepares its food using real, whole
ingredients, and is the only national restaurant brand that
prepares its food using no added colors, flavors or other
industrial additives typically found in fast food. Chipotle
opened with a single restaurant in Denver in 1993 and now operates
more than 2,300 restaurants. For more information, visit
Chipotle.com.
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Chipotle Mexican GrillChris Arnold,
303-222-5912carnold@chipotle.com
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