Charlie Trotter facts for kids
| Born | September 8, 1959 Wilmette, Illinois, US |
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| Died | November 5, 2013 (aged 54) Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Cooking style | Degustation |
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Rating(s)
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Television show(s)
1999 – PBS — The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter
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Award(s) won
James Beard Foundation – Outstanding Chef
1999 |
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Charles "Charlie" Trotter (born September 8, 1959 – died November 5, 2013) was a famous American chef and restaurant owner. He was known for his amazing cooking skills. His most famous restaurant, Charlie Trotter's, was in Chicago and was open from 1987 to 2012.
Contents
Becoming a Chef: Early Life and Education
Charlie Trotter was born in Wilmette, Illinois. He went to New Trier High School in Winnetka. After high school, he studied at Southern Illinois University and then at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He earned a degree in political science.
Even though he studied politics, Charlie decided to become a chef. He started cooking professionally in 1982.
Charlie's Amazing Career
For five years after college, Charlie traveled and learned about cooking. He worked in Chicago, San Francisco, Florida, and even Europe. He learned many different cooking styles.
Opening His First Restaurant
In 1987, Charlie opened his first restaurant in Chicago. He worked with his father, Bob Trotter, as his business partner. This restaurant became very famous and was called Charlie Trotter's.
TV Show and Cookbooks
In 1999, Charlie hosted a cooking show on PBS called The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter. On the show, he shared his recipes and cooking tips. He believed that cooking was like playing jazz music. Just like two jazz songs are never exactly the same, no two meals are ever exactly the same.
Charlie also wrote 14 cookbooks. These books shared his special recipes with people all over the world. He also wrote three books about how to manage a business. He even created his own line of healthy, natural gourmet foods.
Giving Back: Philanthropy
Charlie Trotter cared a lot about helping others. He started the Charlie Trotter Culinary Education Foundation. This group helped young people learn about cooking.
He also had an "Excellence Program" for high school students. Two or three times a week, he invited students to his restaurant. They would eat a meal and then learn how the food was made. They also learned about the people who cooked it. In 2005, he won the Humanitarian of the Year award for his good work.
A Movie Cameo
Charlie Trotter even appeared in a movie! He had a small part in the 1997 film My Best Friend's Wedding. He played a chef who was yelling at his assistant. It was a funny scene that made fun of how some chefs are shown in movies.
Charlie's Restaurants
Charlie Trotter owned several restaurants during his career.
- Charlie Trotter's (Chicago): This was his main restaurant in Chicago. It opened in 1987. It was known as one of the best restaurants in the world. In 2010, it received two stars from the Michelin Guide. This is a very high honor for a restaurant. Charlie announced in 2011 that the restaurant would close in August 2012. He wanted to travel and go back to school.
- Trotter's To Go: This was a fancy deli and catering store in Chicago. It closed in July 2012.
- Restaurant Charlie (Las Vegas): In 2008, Charlie opened a second restaurant in Las Vegas. It was called Restaurant Charlie. This restaurant also won awards, including a Michelin Guide One Star award. Inside this restaurant was a special area called Bar Charlie. Here, diners could watch the chefs cook and get a close-up experience. This restaurant closed in March 2010.
- C (Los Cabos, Mexico): In 2004, Charlie opened a seafood restaurant in Mexico called C. It closed in November 2008.
- Future Plans: Charlie had planned to open a restaurant in New York City. However, problems with the building stopped this plan.
- The Trotter Project: After Charlie's death, his son Dylan and mother Dona-Lee Trotter started a non-profit group called The Trotter Project. They plan to open a teaching kitchen in the original Charlie Trotter's restaurant space. This project will help train young chefs.
Personal Life
Charlie Trotter was married three times. His first wife was Lisa Ehrlich. They met in college and were married in 1986. Lisa helped open his first restaurant. They divorced in 1990.
His second marriage was to Lynn Thomas. They had a son named Dylan.
In 2010, Charlie married Rochelle Smith. She later became his publicist.
In 2021, a documentary movie about Charlie's life was released. It was called Love, Charlie: The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter.
Death and Legacy
On November 5, 2013, Charlie Trotter passed away at his home in Chicago. He died from a stroke. Many chefs and friends remembered him as a great teacher and leader.
His spirit of helping others lives on through The Trotter Project. This charity was created by his family and friends. It continues to support young chefs and culinary education.
Published Works
Charlie Trotter wrote many books about cooking and management. Here are some of them:
- Charlie Trotter's (1994) ISBN: 0-89815-628-9
- Charlie Trotter's Vegetables (1996) ISBN: 0-89815-838-9
- Charlie Trotter's Seafood (1997) ISBN: 0-89815-898-2
- Gourmet Cooking for Dummies (1997) ISBN: 0-7645-5029-2
- The Kitchen Sessions With Charlie Trotter (1999) ISBN: 0-89815-997-0
- Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home (2000) ISBN: 1-58008-250-5
He also co-authored several books, including:
- Lessons in Excellence from Charlie Trotter (1999) ISBN: 0-89815-908-3
- Raw (2003) ISBN: 1-58008-470-2
Awards and Honors
- Culinary Hall of Fame
- James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef (1999)
