Chicago-based chef Rick Bayless is understood for a lot of issues together with operating profitable Mexican eateries similar to Frontera Grill, profitable a number of James Beard Midwest Chef of the Yr awards, internet hosting a PBS sequence about Mexican meals, and writing best-selling cookbook like Mexican Kitchen.
In 2021, he’s launched a brand new fast-casual idea Tortazo, with one every in Chicago and New York Metropolis. The one in New York is situated a stone’s throw from Madison Sq. Park (the place Shake Shack debuted). They’re based mostly round tortas or open-faced sandwiches.
Tortazo has a robust probability of increasing as a result of Jollibee Meals Corp, a fast-food firm based mostly within the Philippines, acquired a 47% stake in Tortas Frontera with its $12.4 million funding. Bayless and his shareholders retain a majority funding with its 53% possession.
In a press launch, Bayless has mentioned “We’re becoming a member of forces with Jollibee as a result of they’ve the infrastructure to develop Tortas Frontera.”
Bayless describes tortas as “warmed sandwiches, with super-bold flavors, toasted on a sizzling griddle. We then scoop within the fillings subsequent to a tasting board and add salsa.”
Requested why he opened a fast-casual model slightly than a full-service eatery, Bayless replies, “I’m very all in favour of letting individuals know what our flavors are all about, with out leaping in with each ft and having an even bigger meal.”
“The whole lot we do is predicated on flavors yow will discover in Mexico. We’re attempting to get everybody to leap on the tortas bandwagon. In Mexico, you’d discover as many torta outlets as you’ll taco outlets,” he says.
Like most fast-casual eating places, its menu is streamlined. It highlights 5 tortas sandwiches on telera rolls together with crispy rooster milanesa, chipotle-roasted rooster, and pork shoulders. The sandwiches begin at $14, so with a beverage, price about $20 an individual, a bit greater than Chipotle’s.
Evaluating Tortazo to Chipotle’s, Bayless says it affords “bolder flavors. We’re not a beans and rice place.” He provides that Tortazo is dearer than Chipotle and targets an older demographic.
The menu additionally contains a number of salads, bowls with rooster, a quesadilla, soups, chips and guacamole, and a few desserts.
However Bayless provides that the present menu is just a place to begin, and shortly it’s including six extra objects together with three new tortas, one other salad, some taquitos and a tortilla soup.
This reporter had dinner on the New York Metropolis Tortazo on a heat fall night time. Its president, Sam Lipp, who was there that night time, really helpful the rooster milanesa, which he mentioned was its primary vendor. It was tasty and filling.
The New York Metropolis Tortazo accommodates a counter space with 4 chairs, indoor eating, and outdoors eating on the road and in a hut. The eatery additionally had seven or eight staff, each within the kitchen and serving meals, regardless of not having waiter service, so it was well-staffed.
Bayless explains that he didn’t place advertisements in commerce papers however labored with some growth businesses to workers the restaurant. Staffing has been doubled, at first, so staff might be educated in Bayless’ model of operation.
Through the day, he expects to draw a slew of employees from the numerous publishing, promoting and ecommerce companies within the Madison Sq. Park and Flatiron space after which entice a night crowd of close by residents.
Bayless is hoping to increase shops, in each cities, New York and Chicago. “We’ve actively searching for areas, principally in Manhattan, although we’ve seemed in Brooklyn,” he explains. In Chicago, they’ve scouted the Loop space so as to add one other location. However his inference was he was sticking to these two cities earlier than exploring choices elsewhere.
On Yelp, New York Metropolis prospects have been slightly welcoming about Tortazo. One mentioned, “Three stars for the meals and provides stars for the service. Somebody greeted us on the door and defined how and the place to order. A pleasant addition to the lunch choices in Flatiron after some good eating places closed down in the course of the pandemic.”
One other Yelp buyer appreciated his Cubano sandwich, chips and salsa.” He described the spice degree as “excessive however flavorful. Plenty of locations both are bland and so spicy you’ll be able to’t style the rest.”
And can he ever take into account opening a full-service eatery in New York? “Sure,” he replies, “however we’d desire to construct issues one step at a time.”
Bayless describes the three keys to its future success as: 1) Attracting individuals all day lengthy, not simply at lunch time, 2) Encourage extra individuals to leap on the tortas bandwagon, 3) It’s all about consistency. If it stays in line with its meals high quality, it’s going to thrive.
