West Hollywood, Calif., is known for its restaurants that attract top chefs and celebrities—and the diners who follow them. But this month, a popup that reimagines Chili’s menu items was the hottest ticket in town.
Chain, a popup created by actor B.J. Novak and former French Laundry chef Tim Hollingsworth, reimagines fan favorites from chain restaurants into curated dinners. The most recent transformations featured items from Chili’s menu—and all four events sold out.
“Chain started as a passion project to tap into the nostalgia of Americana food,” said Hollingsworth. “Growing up, going to a chain restaurant was a special occasion for me and my family and I have fond memories of my chain experiences.”
Chef Tim Hollingsworth with Chili's menu makeovers for Chain. / Photo courtesy of Chain
With his fine-dining pedigree, Hollingworth takes items that a restaurant brand is known for and gives them his own culinary twist.
He started with Chili’s Southwestern Egg Rolls, which he remembers as a highlight on childhood visits to the chain. On the menu, they are described as “crispy flour tortillas, chicken, black beans, corn, jalapeno, Jack cheese, red peppers, spinach; served with avocado-ranch.”
“I took the original ingredients and thought about how I could make them a bit more special while still honoring the dish,” said Hollingsworth. He brines the chicken and then gives it a gentle smoke to impart more flavor. Next, he sautes onions and peppers together to create a classic sofrito. “It’s a concentrated base that gives the filling a deeper flavor,” he explained.
Chain's take on Chili's Southwestern Egg Rolls. / Photo courtesy of Chain
Hollingsworth finishes it off with Chain’s custom seasoning blend, Southwest-Style Desert Dust.
“With the seasoning blend, we’re creating cuisine that feels like the essence of Chili’s—this Southwest vibe of an endless sunset on a desert road,” he said.
The same seasoning blend also elevates the Throwback Fries and transforms Chili’s Chicken Crispers into Desert Dusted Extra Tender Chicken Crispers.
Chili’s signature El Presidente Margarita was next in line. “Chili’s is known for its great variety of margaritas in all different colors and flavors,” said Hollingsworth. “I tried to come up with ingredients that stayed true to the margarita but offered a twist."
The result is the Sunset Margarita, which uses blood orange juice to give it a fresh, pretty pink color. “I also kept the classic lime but balanced it in the right ratio with the blood orange,” he said.
Novak and Hollingsworth have held events with reimagined items from other chains, including the Busted Onion—a takeoff on Outback’s Bloomin’ Onion—and the Wagyu Beef Cruncho Perfecto, a makeover of Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap Supreme. The team and their fans promote the events on Instagram.
“I’ve always had a love for high-low cuisine,” said Hollingsworth, who cooked in upscale restaurants for 13 years prior to Chain.
“Everyone has their favorite order at Chili's, so when B.J. and Chef Tim approached us to put a gourmet twist on Chili's classics, we jumped at the chance to collaborate,” said George Felix, Chili's CMO, in a statement. “We can't wait to hear fans' reactions to these fresh takes on our Southwestern Egg Rolls, Chicken Crispers and world-famous margaritas."
For the Chili’s event, a limited number of spots were reserved for My Chili’s Rewards members in the Los Angeles area.
"We want to grow the Chain brand and do things in a different way," said Hollingsworth. "It's more about a unique approach to what a restaurant is."