I went behind the scenes at Chipotle's 22,000 square-foot Cultivate Center inside its HQ, where the chain tests new recipes and technology

Mary MeisenzahlAug 31, 2022, 21:40 IST

Chipotle

Chipotle's Cultivate Center in Irvine, California houses the chain's state-of-the-art test kitchen and design lab.
The test kitchen includes a replica kitchen, where demonstrations and commercials are filmed.

Chipotle's test kitchen and plans for future menu items are tucked away in a nondescript office park next to The University of California, Irvine.

Wikimedia

As of spring 2022, Chipotle has over 3,000 locations, with revenue over $7 billion in 2021.

The logo of Chipotle Mexican Grill is seen at the Chipotle Next Kitchen in ManhattanReuters

I visited the 22,000-square-foot Cultivate Center to see what's behind the success of the explosive chain.

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

The first thing I saw when I walked into the lobby was a 15-foot sign that was saved from the first Chipotle in 1993 in Denver, which is no longer open.

Chipotle

The tractor in front of the sign was obtained through the Trade Me project on Tiktok, in which Chipotle traded with the creator for a Chipotle Celebrity Card, which can be used for free meals.

Chipotle

The tractor in front of the sign was obtained through the Trade Me project on Tiktok, in which Chipotle traded with the creator for a Chipotle Celebrity Card, which can be used for free meals.

Chief Development Officer Tabassum Zalotrawala took me on a tour of the development lab in Irvine, which she called the "magic lab" behind Chipotle.

Chipotle

Ideas start as sketches before moving on to the next stage.

Chipotle

Different designs of every piece of the restaurant live here for decisions on details for everything from material for stools to the exact height of pickup shelves, which are then tested in select restaurants.

Chipotle

Different designs of every piece of the restaurant live here for decisions on details for everything from material for stools to the exact height of pickup shelves, which are then tested in select restaurants.

"Not everything makes its way into the restaurant," from this test area, Zalotrawala said, but it's all part of the process that ends with the recognizable Chipotle locations you can visit today.

Chipotle

"Not everything makes its way into the restaurant," from this test area, Zalotrawala said, but it's all part of the process that ends with the recognizable Chipotle locations you can visit today.

The Cultivate Center allows Chipotle to create details, like light fixtures, in-house rather than outsourcing to other design companies.

Chipotle

It was important to get the Chipotlane signage right and convey to customers that this wasn't a typical fast food drive-thru where they could order in line, she said.

Chipotle

With a focus on sustainability, much of the art and decor is made out of construction scraps and leftovers.

Chipotle

The design lab is also the place where ideas that are too expensive or aren't able to scale to the chain's more than 3,000 locations can be adapted.

Chipotle

For example, the iconic pepper logo became cheap and easy to reproduce using a plaster mold.

Chipotle

Next, we went to the lab's workshop, where many of these prototypes are actually created.

Chipotle

The CNC machine is a "workhorse," of the lab, according to Development Lab manager Josh Jenkins.

Chipotle

It can be used to create panels and 3D carvings.

Chipotle

Pieces made in the lab go through several iterations, Jenkins said.

Chipotle

He started with a foam model painted to look like concrete, before moving on to wood and metal versions.

Chipotle

A single item might go through several life cycles in wood, metal, and other materials, he said.

Chipotle

Each of these steps happens in-house with Chipotle employees.

Chipotle

During my visit, Jenkins was working on a large pepper for a new restaurant opening.

Chipotle

When managers are preparing new restaurants for opening, they can visit the lab and select pieces they want to include in that particular location.

Chipotle

Pieces made in this lab also decorate the Newport Beach headquarters nearby.

Chipotle

Chipotle's signature peppers were everywhere in the lab and Cultivate Center.

Chipotle

There were early iterations of 3D models, molds, and later versions that were ready to be displayed.

Chipotle

Next, I went to the other side of the lab to see the test kitchen, where I passed by a giant pepper statue made out of tractor parts.

Chipotle

Head Chef Nevielle Panthaky showed me the Cultivate Restaurant, which is a functioning Chipotle kitchen inside the office.

Chipotle

Just like a regular Chipotle, it has the standard make line at the counter, with another behind for mobile orders.

Chipotle

Cameras are placed throughout for demonstrations of new menu items, streamed from the kitchen.

Chipotle

The kitchen is also used to film commercials for smaller markets and pilot products.

Chipotle

All new products go through simulations in the test restaurant, where workers see how the ingredient or items works on the line with other food and fits into the operation.

Chipotle

All new products go through simulations in the test restaurant, where workers see how the ingredient or items works on the line with other food and fits into the operation.

New automation advances, like the chip-making robot Chippy, are also tested here before they move on to further tests in actual outside restaurants.

Chipotle

Those products are first developed in the next room over, the test kitchen.

Chipotle

This is where recipes are actually developed, with a typical lead time of about 18 months between conception and adding to menus, Panthaky said.

Chipotle

This kitchen is also where "sizzle" and "creativity" are added, he said.

Chipotle

This conference room is used for executive meetings, and also for focus group meetings on the other side of a two-way mirror.

Chipotle

Culinary and marketing workers sit on the other side of the mirror to gather insights into new customer opinions, with the "On air" light showing when the room is in use.

Chipotle

Culinary and marketing workers sit on the other side of the mirror to gather insights into new customer opinions, with the "On air" light showing when the room is in use.

Most recently, the chain introduced chicken al pastor in test markets, following development and testing in the Cultivate Center.

Chipotle

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I went behind the scenes at Chipotle's 22,000 square-foot Cultivate Center inside its HQ, where the chain tests new recipes and technology

Chipotle's test kitchen and plans for future menu items are tucked away in a nondescript office park next to The University of California, Irvine.

As of spring 2022, Chipotle has over 3,000 locations, with revenue over $7 billion in 2021.

I visited the 22,000-square-foot Cultivate Center to see what's behind the success of the explosive chain.

The first thing I saw when I walked into the lobby was a 15-foot sign that was saved from the first Chipotle in 1993 in Denver, which is no longer open.

The tractor in front of the sign was obtained through the Trade Me project on Tiktok, in which Chipotle traded with the creator for a Chipotle Celebrity Card, which can be used for free meals.

Chief Development Officer Tabassum Zalotrawala took me on a tour of the development lab in Irvine, which she called the "magic lab" behind Chipotle.

Ideas start as sketches before moving on to the next stage.

Different designs of every piece of the restaurant live here for decisions on details for everything from material for stools to the exact height of pickup shelves, which are then tested in select restaurants.

"Not everything makes its way into the restaurant," from this test area, Zalotrawala said, but it's all part of the process that ends with the recognizable Chipotle locations you can visit today.

The Cultivate Center allows Chipotle to create details, like light fixtures, in-house rather than outsourcing to other design companies.

It was important to get the Chipotlane signage right and convey to customers that this wasn't a typical fast food drive-thru where they could order in line, she said.

With a focus on sustainability, much of the art and decor is made out of construction scraps and leftovers.

The design lab is also the place where ideas that are too expensive or aren't able to scale to the chain's more than 3,000 locations can be adapted.

For example, the iconic pepper logo became cheap and easy to reproduce using a plaster mold.

Next, we went to the lab's workshop, where many of these prototypes are actually created.

The CNC machine is a "workhorse," of the lab, according to Development Lab manager Josh Jenkins.

It can be used to create panels and 3D carvings.

Pieces made in the lab go through several iterations, Jenkins said.

He started with a foam model painted to look like concrete, before moving on to wood and metal versions.

A single item might go through several life cycles in wood, metal, and other materials, he said.

Each of these steps happens in-house with Chipotle employees.

During my visit, Jenkins was working on a large pepper for a new restaurant opening.

When managers are preparing new restaurants for opening, they can visit the lab and select pieces they want to include in that particular location.

Pieces made in this lab also decorate the Newport Beach headquarters nearby.

Chipotle's signature peppers were everywhere in the lab and Cultivate Center.

There were early iterations of 3D models, molds, and later versions that were ready to be displayed.

Next, I went to the other side of the lab to see the test kitchen, where I passed by a giant pepper statue made out of tractor parts.

Head Chef Nevielle Panthaky showed me the Cultivate Restaurant, which is a functioning Chipotle kitchen inside the office.

Just like a regular Chipotle, it has the standard make line at the counter, with another behind for mobile orders.

Cameras are placed throughout for demonstrations of new menu items, streamed from the kitchen.

The kitchen is also used to film commercials for smaller markets and pilot products.

All new products go through simulations in the test restaurant, where workers see how the ingredient or items works on the line with other food and fits into the operation.

New automation advances, like the chip-making robot Chippy, are also tested here before they move on to further tests in actual outside restaurants.

Those products are first developed in the next room over, the test kitchen.

This is where recipes are actually developed, with a typical lead time of about 18 months between conception and adding to menus, Panthaky said.

This kitchen is also where "sizzle" and "creativity" are added, he said.

This conference room is used for executive meetings, and also for focus group meetings on the other side of a two-way mirror.

Culinary and marketing workers sit on the other side of the mirror to gather insights into new customer opinions, with the "On air" light showing when the room is in use.

Most recently, the chain introduced chicken al pastor in test markets, following development and testing in the Cultivate Center.