Chipotle is branching out from burritos and plans to open its first Tasty Made burger restaurant this fall in Lancaster, Ohio.
The concept was developed by Chipotle co-CEO Steve Ells, culinary manager and national training director David Chrisman. Nate Appleman, a James Beard Award-winning chef, joined Chipotle in 2010. Chrisman, with Chipotle for 17 years, was responsible for all training functions and new restaurant openings before joining the Tasty Made chain.
Like Chipotle’s menu, the offerings at Tasty Made will be closely curated, limited to burgers, fresh-cut French fries, and milkshakes. In a news release, the company said it will use a slate of high-quality ingredients similar to those used in menu items at Chipotle and its two other concepts ShopHouse and Pizzeria Locale.
“Early fast food burger restaurants generally had focused menus,” Ells said. “We think there’s great strength in that original fast food model and wanted to create a restaurant built around that. Making only burgers, fries and shakes with really great ingredients, we think we can appeal to peoples’ timeless love of burgers, but in a way that is consistent with our long-term vision.”
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has also already opened an Asian food concept called and a pizza concept called Pizzeria Locale, a Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson. , launched in 2013, now has five locations open with two more expected to open soon.
The opening of the burger concept comes as Chipotle fights to recover from an E. coli outbreak and norovirus cases that sent sales plunging at its namesake chain.
