New Rick Bayless Concept, Tortazo, To Make Debut in Willis Tower's "Catalog"

CHICAGO, IL – October 4, 2019 – EQ Office, the U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone’s real estate funds, today announced that Rick Bayless, seven-time James Beard award-winning chef and one of the foremost experts on authentic Mexican cuisine in America, will debut Tortazo, a new premium fast-casual restaurant, at Chicago’s iconic Willis Tower. Tortazo will occupy more than 3,000 square feet inside Catalog, the five-story immersive dining, retail and entertainment experience, located at the base of the Tower. Chef Bayless personally curated the menu of tortas, chilaquiles, bowls, salads and churros with a mission to bring the joyful discovery of authentic Mexican flavors to America. Core and seasonal offerings will showcase Mexican flavors and techniques using fresh, high quality ingredients that are largely sourced from local farms and producers. Tortazo will also feature a full bar with margaritas, palomas, beers and wines. “Catalog is a vibrant neighborhood that’s representative of all the people who call Chicago home, and we’re thrilled that Chef Bayless chose to launch the first location of this exciting new concept at Willis Tower,” said David Moore, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Director at EQ Office. “Tortazo is a perfect fit for Catalog – the food will be incredible and the unique concept adds another moment of discovery and enticement for the more than 15,000 Chicago workers, residents and countless others who visit Willis Tower each day.” The restaurant name is derived from combining the word Tortas, Mexico’s iconic, craveable sandwich, and –azo, a Spanish suffix used to emphasize the word it is appended to – to create Tortazo, “tortas with great impact.” “I am in love with tortas because they combine the excitement of Mexican streetfood and deliciousness of every Mexican grandma’s kitchen,” said Chef Rick Bayless. “And we’ll bring this exiting, delicious essence to Tortazo diners by producing bold, flavorful foods served with great Mexican hospitality. Willis Tower is truly the best intersection in the city to capture both Chicago residents and tourists – it’s the ideal place for Tortazo.” Tortazo will open in Q4 2019 and will serve lunch and dinner daily. Tortazo will join Brown Bag Seafood Co., Do-Rite Donuts & Chicken, Urbanspace, Shake Shack, Sweetgreen, Starbucks, Market Creations and Convene, which also have planned locations in Catalog. Willis Tower is undergoing a more than $500-million renovation project, the biggest restorative transformation in the building’s 46-year history. The first phase of Catalog will open to the public in late 2019. Visit www.WillisTower.com for more information about Catalog, the renovation project and available tenant space. About EQ Office At EQ Office, we partner with business leaders to find, design and manage balanced workspaces with the intention of helping to inspire talent. What began as Equity Office Properties more than 40 years ago, EQ Office has evolved to reflect a new kind of emotional intelligence required for the rapidly shifting workplace. EQ focuses on the experience of its 40 million square feet - how space feels, activates and performs. We're proud to work hand-in-hand with more than 1,800 customers of all sizes, from Fortune 100 companies to emerging startups, to bring humanity back to the work place. Our diverse team of 200+ professionals is responsible for creating inspired office environments in major cities across the country including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. As a U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone's real estate funds, we have the resources to lead the changes happening in work space. Explore your space for greatness at www.eqoffice.com. About Willis Tower Located at 233 S. Wacker Drive in the heart of downtown Chicago, Willis Tower is an urban destination and state-of-the art workplace that welcomes prominent businesses ranging from law firms to large airline corporations to insurance companies. Standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall, Willis Tower has the region's most breathtaking views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Willis Tower's Skydeck attracts more than 1.7 million visitors each year with its inviting hospitality and memorable experiences, all under one roof. In early 2017, Blackstone and Equity Office announced plans for the biggest restorative transformation project in the building's 46-year history. The $500 million renovation project now underway includes the addition of Catalog, a more than 300,000 square-feet curated dining, entertainment and community experience, as well as a 30,000 square-feet outdoor deck and garden, evolving at the base of the tower. The Catalog name is a historical nod to Willis Tower’s original developer and owner, Sears Roebuck, and its popular printed catalog, which was a retail disrupter of its age. Catalog offers an effective way to experience great content, products and experiences. New tenants are now opening in Catalog, and this will continue through its completion in mid-2020. The Tower renovation also includes 150,000 square feet of new tenant amenity spaces. As part of the renovation, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded Willis Tower the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for energy efficiency upgrades made throughout the Tower. Willis Tower was also recently named to the Illinois Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Illinois' 200 Great Places list. For more information, visit www.WillisTower.com and connect on Facebook and Instagram. About Tortazo Created by Chef Rick Bayless, Tortazo’s mission is to bring the joyful discovery of authentic Mexican flavors to America. Chef Bayless created a premium fast-casual menu that combines fresh, transparently sourced ingredients made to order and served by a team that is unexpectedly genuine, caring and authentic. Tortazo is the newest addition to Bayless’ portfolio of award-winning, critically acclaimed restaurants including Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, XOCO, Leña Brava and Cruz Blanca. For more information, visit www.rickbayless.com. ###