How were Chipotle recipes developed?

The development of Chipotle's recipes was heavily influenced by Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle, and his culinary training. Ells didn't have to labor intensively over the recipes because of his experience working at a restaurant called Stars. There, he was trained in a flexible and adaptive cooking style, where he would learn only at noon what he was going to cook that evening. The menu was not fixed, and he had to develop dishes based on the executive chef’s preferences and the restaurant's style. Ells brought this adaptive, simple food ethos to Chipotle, aiming to create straightforward yet delicious dishes that could be efficiently produced in an open kitchen format, emphasizing fresh ingredients and straightforward techniques [1].

Further, his introduction to a certain kind of fast, casual food service came during a trip to San Francisco. Intrigued by the operation of taquerias in the Mission District, he observed their efficiency and economic model which led him to believe that he could emulate their success. This influenced his decision to build Chipotle as a fast-casual restaurant emphasizing fresh, quickly prepared foods [2].