News

Chipotle's Cultivate Festival returns to San Francisco

March 31, 2014

Chipotle Mexican Grill has announced the lineup for its 2014 Cultivate food, music and ideas festival series, with events planned in San Francisco, Minneapolis and Dallas-Ft. Worth. Now in its fourth year, the one-day festivals include cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, live music, local food artisans, breweries, wineries, a special Chipotle festival menu, and other activities emphasizing fresh and affordable food made with sustainably raised ingredients, according to a company press release. Cultivate San Francisco will be held on June 7 in Golden Gate Park's Hellman Hollow; Cultivate Minneapolis is on Aug. 23 in Loring Park; and Cultivate Dallas-Ft. Worth is Oct. 18 at Lake Carolyn in nearby Irving, Texas. Admission for all events is free.

"We are changing the way people think about and eat fast food, and that includes helping people understand more about how food is raised and prepared," said Mark Crumpacker, chief marketing and development officer at Chipotle. "The Cultivate events allow us to bring people together for a celebration of food and music, but also to educate them about how food can be raised responsibly."

In addition to live music and onsite chef demonstrations, each Cultivate event will include five interactive experiences focused on sustainable food — including themes that let attendees explore the importance of animal welfare, issues surrounding GMOs, the secret to making Chipotle's famous guacamole, and the reality of processed foods, as well as a Kids' Zone that will feature activities and snacks.

All three festivals will have an Artisans' Hall offering a wide selection of local artisan-crafted food for purchase, and a Tasting Hall serving local specialty beers, wines and ciders. This year, Chipotle is again partnering with a local brewer in each Cultivate city to create Cultivate Farmhouse Ale, a Saison-style beer that will be exclusively available at each festival, according to the release.

In the spirit of healthful, sustainable food, Chipotle's culinary team has also created a special menu of food that can be purchased at the festival. Food offerings will include a grilled flatbread with barbacoa or pork belly; chicken and Sofritas tacos; a vegetarian baby kale salad with the choice of adding steak; and a jasmine rice bowl with pork and chicken meatballs or organic tofu from ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, Chipotle's Asian concept, according to the release.

Festival details

The musical lineup for Cultivate San Francisco includes the Neon Trees, Andrew McMahon, Charli XCX, Smallpools, and an opening band to be announced at a later date.

Chefs featured at the event will include Graham Elliot ("Iron Chef" and "Top Chef Masters"); Amanda Freitag (Empire Diner, "Chopped" and "The Next Iron Chef"); Sarah and Evan Rich (Rich Table); Dennis Lee (Namu Gaji and Smokestack); Nick Balla and Courtney Burns (Bar Tartine); and Minh Tsai (Hodo Soy Beanery).

The talent lineup at Cultivate Minneapolis will feature bands Portugal, The Man, Grouplove, The Mowgli's, Vintage Trouble, and Hunter Hunted. Chefs at the event will include Andrew Zimmern ("Bizarre Foods America"); Freitag; Jamie Malone (Sea Change, 2014 James Beard Best Chef Nominee); Jack Riebel (formerly Butcher and the Boar, 2013 James Beard Best Chef Nominee), Erik Anderson (formerly Catbird Seat) and Paul Berglund (Bachelor Farmer, 2014 James Beard Best Chef Nominee).

Cultivate Dallas-Ft. Worth details will be announced later this summer.