Chipotle Mexican Grill Founder Named Keynote Speaker for Baruch’s 2026 Commencement Ceremony

May 13, 2026

Chipotle founder and former CEO Steve Ells will be the keynote speaker at Baruch College’s 2026 Commencement, addressing more than 20,000 attendees—including over 5,500 members of the Class of 2026 on Monday, June 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn

Ells will also be awarded the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters recognizing his transformational impact on the global food industry, commitment to innovation and ethical business practices, and ability to inspire future generations of leaders values that embody the historical and continuing mission of Baruch College and The City University of New York.

A Visionary Who Reshaped the Restaurant Industry

Ells built Chipotle Mexican Grill into a $40 billion company and created an entirely new restaurant category. As the company’s founder, he turned a single burrito shop into a global brand and invented the fast-casual dining model along the way. He proved that fast food could be made with real ingredients and actual cooking technique—a radical idea in 1993.

The American businessman graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1988 and the Culinary Institute of America in 1990. He went to work at Stars, the San Francisco restaurant of acclaimed chef Jeremiah Tower. While working there, he became consumed with the city’s Mission District taquerias—the speed, the flavors, the simplicity. He saw an opportunity to combine fine dining standards with fast food efficiency.

In 1993, Ells opened the first Chipotle in a former ice cream shop near the University of Denver. His plan was to make enough money to fund his dream of opening a fine dining restaurant. As customers lined up for burritos, his dream pivoted. The concept took off: fresh ingredients, food made in front of you, customizable orders.

McDonald’s invested in 1998, accelerating the expansion. By 2006, he took the company public, and Chipotle had become a category-defining brand. Ells ran the company as CEO until 2018 and as executive chairman until 2020, growing it to thousands of locations worldwide.

After leaving Chipotle, Ells spent years developing his next concept. In early 2025, he opened Counter Service, targeting the $48 billion U.S. sandwich market. The model focuses on artisanal bread, beautifully roasted meats, scratch-made sauces, fast service, and a lean operational system built to scale intricate preparations all while expanding the brand quickly.

New Yorkers have responded strongly—the company now has four locations with more planned. Ells brought in Peloton co-founder Tom Cortese as CEO and Chef Andrew Black, formerly of Eleven Madison Park, as Chief Culinary Officer to execute the menu.

Throughout his career, Ells has been driven by a simple conviction: that great food, prepared with care and served with respect for people’s time, can change the way people eat.

Commencement 2026: Celebrate the Achievements of the Class of 2026

Watch the livestream: Baruch College’s YouTube channel and Baruch College website.

View all event photos: Facebook and Instagram.