Chipotle's top woman has ascended in step with fast-casual giant.

• Author: Sukin, Gigi
• Position: GOOD COMPANY - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. - Gretchen Selfridge - Interview

In 1995, Gretchen Selfridge played hard to get. After two months of job offers from Chipotle Mexican Grill--then a two-shop operation--she met founder and CEO Steve Ells and changed her mind. Fast-forward, and from its humble beginnings at the corner of Evans Avenue and Gilpin Street, the publicly traded burrito empire has grown to 1,780 restaurants, 53,000 employees and a $21.05 billion market cap. The Denver-based company has redefined fast food. Meanwhile, Selfridge, 50, worked her way to restaurant support officer, the equivalent of co-chief operating officer. During our lunchtime chat she harkened back to her first gigs in the service industry and her conviction that the fast track to success requires uncovering your replacements along the way.

CB: What did you want to be when you grew up?

GS: I always knew I wanted to go into hotels or restaurants somehow. All through high school I worked in a resort in western New York.

And then you came to Colorado?

My first job out of school (at Northeastern Junior College, in Sterling) was at Bennigan's in the '80s. I moved to Fort Collins--a little bit bigger town--and worked there for about three years.

How did it go?

I wasn't old enough to wait tables, so I started as a hostess. I told the manager, teach me everything I can learn before I'm 21. So I worked with him in the training department and opened a lot of Bennigan's around the United States and eventually moved to Denver.

Where you've been ever since?

I went to Washington, D.C., because a friend of mine said there were lots of job openings there. I ended up working as a headhunter. I was trying to place somebody and I saw an opening with a company called California Pizza Kitchen. They were brand new. So I called them and they ended up hiring me. I worked for them for a while, but I really missed Colorado.

So you moved back in 1990?

And I haven't moved since. I got started working for a company called Premier Ventures ... running Caldonia's out in Aurora for about six years. I worked probably 100 hours a week.

And then Chipotle comes a' calling?

I was at Caldonia's and going around doing table touches as a manager and struck up conversation with (Erich Overhardt). Two months later ... he wanted me to come work with him for Steve Ells on a new concept. This was the end of '95.

But you weren't interested?

It took me about two months to say yes. I worked at a full-service restaurant, and at the end of '95, there really wasn't this fast-casual...