Chicago's Culinary Community Mourns Charlie Trotter's Death

By Staff in Food on Nov 6, 2013 8:00PM

Charlie Trotter, seen in this 2007 photo, died Monday at age 54. (Photo credit: Rob Loud/Getty Images)

Chefs in Chicago and across the world paid tribute on social media to Charlie Trotter, who died Tuesday at age 54.

One of the most touching tributes came from former moto and Baume and Brix chef Ben Roche.

Well...it was an honor to get fired by you after you thought I was laughing at you when you burned yourself that one time. It was humbling when you wiped your finger along the back rail of my station, smeared the dust and little bit of oil on my chef coat and went "EWWWWW!" in front of the whole kitchen. It was enraging when you stared me down for a minute from behind the pass and then asked me if I was "going to kill myself, or something". It was frustrating when you stood right in front of me asking chef Merges if "this guy must be one of those rich motherfuckers" for throwing away about a tablespoon of roasted squash oil at the end of the week when I was breaking down my station. It was one of the funniest/most awkward moments when you brought some of us cooks out to your wife's table and made us sing a couple verses from "In Da Club" in the middle of the dining room that one night.

But all in all, it was a fucking life changing year + experience that put me in a good direction when you took a chance and hired me a long time ago. For that opportunity I will always be thankful.

Every cook in the world can bow their head and give a moment of silence to the man. He changed the scene. Respect.

Go ahead and keep that Kobo Abe novel and that Cindy Blackmon CD that I loaned you, chef. And yes, that is me.

R.I.P. - C.H.T

And the tributes poured in from chefs across the country.

Across local media the obituaries and remembrances flowed. One of those by Jeff Ruby at Chicago magazine, managed to infuriate readers because Ruby dared to voice the theories behind Trotter's sudden death others wouldn't.

Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed had a bombshell revelation in today's paper. Trotter apparently suffered a stroke during a trip to New York in January and his health had been in decline in subsequent months as he tried to recover. It didn't stop Trotter from flying to a culinary conference in Wyoming last week despite being ordered not to fly by his doctors.

Trotter's widow Rochelle released a statement yesterday evening that read:

We are incredibly shocked and deeply saddened by the unexpected loss of Charlie at our home in Lincoln Park. He was much loved and words can not describe how much he will be missed. Charlie was a trailblazer and introduced people to a new way of dining when he opened Charlie Trotter’s. His impact upon American cuisine and the culinary world at large will always be remembered. We thank you so much for your kind words, love and support. We appreciate the respect for our privacy as we work through this difficult time. Details for the memorial service will be forthcoming.