Honestly, if you ask the average person about Steve Ells, they usually think of one of two things: the guy who made burritos the size of your head or the guy who was in charge during that messy E. coli crisis back in 2015. But that’s a pretty thin slice of the story. To understand the former Chipotle CEO Steve Ells, you have to look at him as a chef who accidentally built a multi-billion dollar empire while trying to fund a completely different dream.
He didn't actually want to be the "Burrito King."
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The $85,000 Gamble
In 1993, Ells was a classically trained chef from the Culinary Institute of America. He had spent time as a sous chef at Stars in San Francisco under Jeremiah Tower, one of the pioneers of California cuisine. He was used to white tablecloths and precise plating. He wanted his own high-end, fine-dining restaurant. But those are expensive. To raise the cash, he borrowed $85,000 from his father to open a tiny taco shop in Denver.
The plan was simple. Sell enough burritos to open the "real" restaurant.
Except, people went nuts for the burritos. He sold over 1,000 of them a day within the first month. He didn't just stumble into success; he applied fine-dining logic to fast food. He talked about "toasting cumin seeds until they just start smoking" and hand-chopping garlic so it didn't oxidize. This wasn't Taco Bell. It was a chef’s kitchen hidden inside a fast-food wrapper.
Why "Food With Integrity" Changed Everything
Ells basically invented the fast-casual category. Before him, you either ate greasy fast food or sat down for an hour. He found the middle ground. But the real shift happened in the late 90s. Ells visited a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) and was reportedly horrified by what he saw.
This led to the "Food With Integrity" mission.
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It sounds like a corporate slogan now, but at the time, it was radical. He started sourcing naturally raised meats and organic produce on a scale that shouldn't have worked for a chain. By 2015, Chipotle was serving more "responsible" meat than almost any other restaurant group in the world. He was obsessed with the supply chain. He wasn't just a CEO; he was a guy who cared more about the pH of the soil than the quarterly earnings report.
The Fall and the Pivot
Success has a way of blinding you to the boring stuff, like logistics. When the E. coli and norovirus outbreaks hit in late 2015, the brand's armor shattered. People felt betrayed. How could the "healthy" place make them sick? Steve Ells found himself in the crosshairs. Critics said he was a visionary founder but a poor manager. They weren't entirely wrong. He was a chef, not a systems expert.
He stepped down as CEO in 2018, handing the keys to Brian Niccol, and eventually left the board in 2020.
But Steve Ells isn't the type to just retire to a vineyard and disappear.
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Kernel and the 2026 Reality
If you’ve been following the news lately, you know he’s back. He launched Kernel, a startup that was supposed to be the "robot Chipotle." It was all about plant-based patties and robotic arms. But here’s the thing about Ells: he’s still a chef at heart. In early 2025, the brand realized people didn't just want robots; they wanted great food.
He pivoted Kernel into Counter Service.
As of 2026, Counter Service is the new obsession in New York City. Gone are the heavy robots. Instead, it’s an artisanal sandwich shop. We're talking thinly sliced roast beef, hand-made pâté, and cookies that the team describes as "the most over-analyzed recipe of our careers." He’s back to his roots—high-quality ingredients, chef-driven menus, and small footprints.
What You Can Learn from the Ells Playbook
You don't build a $70 billion company by following the rules. Ells succeeded because he was stubborn about quality when everyone else told him to cut corners.
- Quality is a Moat: People will pay a premium if the food is actually better.
- Know Your Limits: Ells was a brilliant creator but struggled with the massive corporate machine. Knowing when to hand over the reins is a skill in itself.
- Adapt or Die: The shift from Kernel to Counter Service shows that even a billionaire founder has to listen to the market.
Next Steps for Business Leaders:
If you're looking to replicate even a fraction of Ells' success, start by auditing your supply chain. Don't look at where you can save money; look at where the quality is dropping and fix it. Real growth usually follows the product, not the marketing budget. You might also want to look into the "Counter Service" model of central kitchens and small storefronts, which is currently disrupting the high-overhead restaurant world in major cities.