Chipotle Establishes Scholarships at The Culinary Institute of America

DENVER-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- In 1990, a young student of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., received his toque and headed to California to pursue his dreams of becoming a chef. Some three years later, looking to open a restaurant of his own, he returned home to Denver and, with a loan from his father, Steve Ells opened a burrito restaurant in the hopes of making enough money to some day open a “real” restaurant.

Fourteen years later, that Denver burrito restaurant continues to do a brisk business, along with the more than 640 other Chipotle Mexican Grill locations nationwide. The restaurant has a loyal following, has received critical acclaim around the country, and has become one of the fastest-growing restaurant companies in the country.

“My time at The Culinary Institute of America provided a great foundation when I was starting my career and taught me many lessons that are still valuable today,” said Ells. “In many ways I was lucky. Not everyone has the resources or support they need to help realize their dreams.”

That’s why Chipotle has established the Chipotle Mexican Grill Annual Scholarship beginning in the 2007-08 academic year. The $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to an emerging culinary professional in either the Associate in Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts or the Bachelor of Professional Studies in Culinary Arts Management degree programs. The recipient must demonstrate support for sustainable agricultural practices consistent with Chipotle’s philosophy of Food With Integrity.

In addition to the new annual scholarship, Chipotle is also giving $10,000 each year for the next five years to the college to establish the Chipotle Mexican Grill Endowed Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will award some $2,500 each year to a deserving student or students once the principal balance has been raised, and will continue in perpetuity. The Chipotle scholarships come at a time when enrollment in culinary schools is on the rise.

The scholarships will be awarded to students who share Chipotle’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, as the commitment to sustainable practices underpins much of what Chipotle does – from sourcing food to the design and construction of its restaurants and its employee development programs.

Chipotle’s support for sustainable agriculture began when it started serving naturally raised pork some seven years ago. That support has grown into a much broader vision, one that Chipotle calls Food With Integrity, which involves a constant and thorough evaluation of ingredients used to cook its food, from the standpoint of animal welfare, sustainable agriculture, healthfulness, and taste.

That pursuit has led Chipotle to serve more naturally raised meat (meat coming from animals that are raised in a humane way, fed a pure vegetarian diet, and never given antibiotics or added hormones) than any restaurant group in the world. Today, all of the pork Chipotle uses is naturally raised, as is more than 70 percent of its chicken and nearly half of its beef. Beyond meat, about 25 percent of the beans it buys are organically grown, and all of its sour cream, and most of its cheese, is made from milk coming from cows that are not treated with the synthetic hormone rBGH.

“Obviously, I am thankful that Chipotle will be able to help other aspiring chefs fulfill their potential. We believe supporting such individuals is consistent with Chipotle’s goal of changing the way people think about and eat fast food,” said Ells.

About Chipotle

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) (NYSE:CMG.B) offers a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in a distinctive atmosphere. Through our vision of Food With Integrity, Chipotle is seeking better food not only from a variety of fresh ingredients, but ingredients that are sustainably grown and naturally raised with respect for animals, the land, and the farmers who produce the food. None of our food has artificial colors, flavorings or trans fatty acids, and it’s all cooked in essentially the same ways it was when we had only one restaurant. Chipotle opened its first restaurant in 1993 and operates more than 640 restaurants today. For more information, visit www.chipotle.com.

About The Culinary Institute of America

Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor's and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. A network of more than 37,000 alumni in foodservice and hospitality has helped the CIA earn its reputation as the world’s premier culinary college. Courses for foodservice professionals and food enthusiasts are offered at the college's main campus in Hyde Park, N.Y., and at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in St. Helena, Calif. Greystone also offers baking and pastry, advanced culinary arts, and wine certifications. The Center for Foods of the Americas, in San Antonio, Texas, the college’s second branch campus, offers a certificate program in culinary arts. For more information, visit the CIA Web site at www.ciachef.edu.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chris Arnold, 303-222-5912

carnold@chipotle.com