Mickey D Wakes Up And Smells The Cilantro

You can find Steve Ells, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, zipping around Denver in a black BMW 540i. He likes to talk about cilantro, and he describes standard fast food as a warm piece of meat stuck inside a once-frozen bun. But when he names names, he's careful to talk only about Burger King Corp. and Wendy's International Inc.

That's the first clue that Ells, 33, doesn't specialize in haute cuisine. In fact, he is the founder and CEO of the only restaurant company in which McDonald's Corp. has ever invested. Named Chipotle Mexican Grill, it is a tiny but rapidly growing chain, which charges $5 apiece for enormous meat-, rice-, and bean-filled burritos that are made to order in not much more than a minute. The food is spicy and fresh, every restaurant is designed differently, and there is no kids' menu. "This is not the typical fast-food experience," says Ells. "This is something grown-up."