American businessman Steve Ells is the Founder, Co-Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of Chipotle Mexican Grill, possessing an estimated net worth of $200 million. Founded in 1993, he committed the restaurant to serve only naturally raised meat, and to promote sustainable agriculture. In just 20 years, he was able to grow Chipotle from a single restaurant to a chain with more than 1,500 locations. He is one of the largest individual shareholders in the restaurant company.

Ells was born on September 12, 1965 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History, and also attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

Prior to launching Chipotle, Steve Ells served as the sous chef under Jeremiah Tower at Stars restaurant in San Francisco. He now sits on the board of directors of the Land Institute. He was named Rocky Mountain News Business Person of the Year in 2005. In 2007, he was the recipient of the CEO of the Year Award from ColoradoBiz magazine.

In 2010, Mr. Ells appeared as part of the judging and investment panel on America’s Next Great Restaurant on NBC along with Bobby Flay, Curtis Stone and Lorena Garcia.