Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Food

This Guy Ate Chipotle For 153 Days And Shows No Signs Of Quitting

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Eating Chipotle for 40 days straight is impressive, but when the daily ritual approaches the half-year mark, you suddenly become an Internet obsession.

Andrew Hawryluk has been chowing down on Chipotle for the past 153 days, and the 23-year-old animator who lives in L.A. shows no signs of quitting. What first began as a joke with his brother that he would eat at the chain restaurant for the 40 days of Lent, continues as a daily culinary challenge to himself. Hawryluk documents his "culinary endurance art piece"—as he jokingly refers to the marathon feast—on his blog Chipotlife. For his daily updates, he includes a photo of the meal and a receipt. While not everyone might see eating at Chipotle daily as performance art, Hawryluk keeps a sense of humor about his project, "It's like Marina Abramović, but a little more fast food oriented."

Hawryluk's meal of choice? A burrito bowl with white rice, chicken, guacamole, and lettuce, topped with Tabasco chipotle sauce on top, with rare exceptions. He refers to his favorite Chipotle dish as "The Impeccabowl" and highly recommends the "undeniably delicious meal. It tastes kind of like Mexican sushi."

His Chipotlife commitment initially attracted the following of a few friends, but now his culinary endurance has gone viral with international media attention. Even his mom is sending him articles about him that he didn't know about. Responding to reactions that he's taken on some insane, gut-busting Super-Size-Me-like challenge, Hawryluk dismisses the hype, telling LAist,

It's not even an intense meal. It's a very lean dish and I think if I was cooking it at home, nobody would bat an eyelash. But the fact that I'm eating it at Chipotle, adds that bizarre twist that makes it interesting. I'm sure there are people out there who eat this exact same thing everyday and it's not a big deal.

To date, Hawryluk's Chipotle challenge has set him back $1,567, which he tells us is totally worth it. "Number one: the time that I'm saving preparing this meal is worth it alone. And number two: I would never be able to make something that tastes that good. I am the worst chef ever."

Prior to taking on the challenge, he admits to enjoying Chipotle 4 or 5 times a week on his own accord, so adding a few days hasn't really been too difficult. Though now that he's committed to continuing the challenge, he does find the "must-do aspect" of it much crazier and adds a little edge to his daily routine. Asked if he has any advice for aspiring Chipotlifers, he warns, "Clear your schedule. The schedule is the hardest aspect for me. I'll be working some days and there will be a crunch and I can't leave until 9:30 p.m. and Chipotle closes at 10, and I'm racing to get there. Also, don't plan on traveling." Hawryluk is currently planning his vacations around cities that have Chipotle locations.

Sponsored message

For those worried that his Chipotle bender might be taking a serious toll on his physique. Hawryluk assures us that he works out several times a week and generally maintains "high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carb" diet. He's also had blood tests performed to check his cholesterol, which he says remains optimal. Oh yeah, and there's that photo of his six-pack that he shared on his blog. His weight may fluctuate slightly, but Hawryluk explains on his blog, "I figure my weight mostly depends on all the other stuff I'm eating/drinking (see: booze)."

And to the detractors, Hawryluk explains that he hasn't received any endorsement deals from Chipotle. Though they did send him some swag and a few gift cards for his birthday. But they were for burritos.

Hawryluk has yet to grow tired of The Impeccabowl, so how long will he continue eating it? A year maybe? "Maybe until my next birthday," he considers, "But that's like 450 days, that's a little daunting."

And what will happen when the media buzz dies down? "I imagine this will all fade out after a week or two, and I'll just continue eating Chipotle from there."

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today