Wok this way

Gulf Coast hospitality executive Kanak Bal wants to shake a little chipotle on the Chinese food industry.

Not the spice, per se, but the simplified gourmet business model of Chipotle Mexican Grill. Denver-based Chipotle, which combines natural ingredients with an uncluttered menu and quirky marketing, has grown rapidly in sales, worldwide locations and fans — in stores and on Wall Street. The firm had $2.73 billion in 2012 sales.

Bal aims to utilize the Chipotle way with Wok Chi, a new eatery concept under Hot Brands International, a Toronto-based firm with eight quick-casual brands in a variety of global markets. “Chinese food really gets a bad reputation for being greasy and not healthy, but we can change that perception,” says Bal. “We don't want to complicate things. We want to give people a healthy meal quickly.”