News

Chipotle taps fine dining chef to lead Tasty Made

September 26, 2017

Chipotle has tapped Richard Blais, chef, restaurateur and James Beard-nominated cookbook author, to lead its fast casual burger brand — Tasty Made.

Blais, whose other ventures include Juniper & Ivy and the new chicken concept —  Crack Shack —  will perfect the existing menu and expand options, Chipotle CEO and co-founder Steve Ells, said in a company press release. Tasty Made, which opened last year in Ohio, now features four items: burgers, fries, shakes and sodas.

"Richard is an extraordinary chef and an exceptionally capable restaurateur," he said in the company's release. "While talking about the possibility of joining forces to do something that would have a positive, meaningful impact on food culture in America, we quickly landed on the notion of his joining Tasty Made. I have long believed that there was an opportunity to make the fast food burger a great burger using better quality ingredients.

“Richard's expertise is perfect to help us do that. He can apply his compelling vision and entrepreneurial spirit to our work in progress and oversee operations, allowing me to remain focused on continuing to grow and strengthen the Chipotle brand."

"Steve and Chipotle have had such a significant impact on reinventing fast food," Blais said in the release. "There is no more iconic fast food than burgers, and I have always thought that there is a way to do them on a really big scale without compromising the quality of the food or the overall restaurant experience. Joining forces with Chipotle and Tasty Made is a truly unique opportunity to do that."

Blais may be most recognizable as the winner of Bravo television's "Top Chef AllStars," but he also owns and operates Trail Blais, a culinary consulting business. Like Ells, he is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has cooked for The French Laundry, Daniel, Chez Panisse, and el Bulli.

Tasty Made will unveil changes or enhancements to the concept stemming from the relationship with Blais as they are made, according to the release.