In 2002, Chili's Memphis General Manager and today Operations Director Dharam Rampersad was looking for a way to connect with his local community. Aware of the life-saving research happening at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®, he and fellow managers came up with an idea. With the help of some crayons and chili pepper coloring sheets, they organized seven neighboring Chili's restaurants to raise $14,000 in support of St. Jude. Fifteen years later, that $14,000 has been multiplied 5,000 times. As of 2022, we have raised more than $100 million for St. Jude, and we were the first corporate partner to have a building on the hospital campus named in our honor. The seven-story, 340,000–square-foot facility houses 21st-century imaging and treatment technology in support of St. Jude and their mission: Finding cures. Saving children®. Supported by the enduring generosity of our Guests and Team Members, we are now on our way to raising another $30 million for a school on St. Jude's campus, so children can continue their education while undergoing these life-saving treatments. We're proud to share that it all began almost 20 years ago, with the head and heart of some enterprising ChiliHead managers.
Walk into any restaurant and there's a good chance the smiling face at your table, the cook working hard behind the counter and the manager "herding cats" is the face of a woman. But look at the ranks of restaurant leadership and more male faces emerge, just like in Silicon Valley, Wall Street and the United States Congress. This disparity deprives us and other restaurants of diverse viewpoints, innovative thinking and a richer, more effective work environment for men and women alike. Therefore, we launched a unique program, called Women Take The Lead, which provides customized training, mentorships and access to outside resources such as the Women's Food Service Forum. The program teaches promising female leaders technical skills, ways to increase confidence, how to accelerate their careers and acquire practical best practices for living a "Best Life" as a mom and community leader, while still conquering the challenging demands of restaurant leadership.
As food on our menu comes in all shapes, sizes and flavors, no two Team Members are the same, and that’s the way we like it. It’s quite simple: We believe a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace is good for Team Members, Guests, and the communities we serve. Our Team Members and Guests are diverse in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, cultural background and life experience. We celebrate these differences through a culture of inclusion where individual strengths and stories are respected and valued. We’re proud to be a community-oriented meeting place and want everyone to feel welcome at Chili’s.
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