Chicago's Famed Chef Charlie Trotter Dead at Age 54

Like many food writers around the country I have a Chef Trotter story. My personal moment with Chef Trotter, who I had worked with via pr people for years, came when he called me personally to ask if I would write something on special dinner he was hosting. I felt like the Great Oz had come out from behind the curtain to grant my wish, only it wasn't a reporter's call that had initiated the request, Charlie Trotter reached out to me. That one small gesture from Chicago's first top-gun chef made him more human and from that day on I had a changed opinion of Chicago's Elliot "untouchable" Ness of  the kitchen. After that I found myself at several events where I met the chef in person, none more awe-inspiring than attending the reception when he was inducted into the Chicago Culinary Hall of Fame.

Charlie Trotter's intense determination to do the best job possible made the self-taught world-class chef a leader in Chicago's culinary scene. Chef Trotter, who opened his namesake restaurant in 1987, died today at age 54. The iconic chef was the first of many things in Chicago's culinary horizon.. He was the first Chicago chef to win a James Beard Award, the first to earn a Michelin rating and the first inducted into the Chicago Culinary Hall of Fame (2006), which I was honored to have attended the ceremony. Chef Trotter lead the way to Chicago transforming into a world-class culinary city, many of the city's current chefs having hone their talent in Trotter's kitchen.

Chef Trotter recognized the sign of greatness in young chefs and served as a mentor and friend to many. 

A perchance encounter with a stranger on the tonight led to a conversation with a young woman on the train, who when hearing my conversation with a friend about the chef's death, broke into the conversation saying it "hurt my heart to hear the news." It turns out the young lady (a 29 year-old from Chicago Heights) had served a 2-month internship under Trotter's soup and sauce sous chef. Recalling her interview with Chef Trotter she laughed. He asked her to prepare a dish that required a demi glace sauce. Knowing it was one of the most difficult to prepare the joke was on Chef Trotter, it was one of her best. She prepared the dish, he tried it and told her "it was good but could use some work."
She took offense, he argued the fact. She recalled Trotter asking "is this your best."
She didn't waiver, "yes," she said.
"It can't be made any better?" Chef Trotter asked.
"No," she said, thinking she had just blown the interview.
"I was shocked I got the position," she said.

In addition to his accolades in the kitchen Charlie Trotter has been honored for his philanthropic endeavors that include being honored by President Bush for his work through his Charlie Trotter Education Foundation. He was the 2005 recipient of the International Association of Culinary Professionals' Humanitarian of the Year Award.