The Food World Responds To The Shocking Death Of Charlie Trotter
The Chicago Tribute reports that Charlie Trotter has died at age 54. He was found unresponsive in his Lincoln Park home and pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Trotter ran his eponymous restaurant for nearly 25 years before closing in September 2012. We were there for the final service that featured cooking from some of his most-trusted alums including Graham Elliot, Bill Kim, Norman Van Aken, Mindy Segal and Anne Burrell.
Food Republic co-founder Marcus Samuelsson penned a loving tribute soon after Trotter's New Year's Day closure announcement. To say the food world is in shock is a great understatement. Many have taken to Twitter with micro-tributes:
I still remember buying the first Charlie Trotter book and being totally enamored, amazed and enthralled. Heartfelt condolences.
— hugh acheson (@HughAcheson) November 5, 2013
Reeling at news of Charlie Trotter's death. A brilliant, complicated but incredibly generous guy, a good friend and a great American chef.
— Jay McInerney (@JayMcInerney) November 5, 2013
Charlie Trotter was very, very nice to me in 1992. A true force in the early American chef scene #RIP http://t.co/vwGoAE4iGc
— Andrew Carmellini (@andrecarmellini) November 5, 2013
Hear Leonard's 2004 conversation with chef Charlie Trotter, who died earlier today: http://t.co/i9HKuAAJet
— Leonard Lopate (@LeonardLopate) November 5, 2013
Dined at Charlie Trotter's in 2011, though felt like it was 1990 in the restaurant, in ways both good & bad. Glad I went & so sad he's gone.
— ryan sutton (@qualityrye) November 5, 2013
Rest In Peace Charlie Trotter. A giant. A legend. Treated shabbily by a world he helped create. My thoughts go out to those who loved him.
— Anthony Bourdain (@Bourdain) November 5, 2013
Unbelievably sad to hear about Charlie Trotter's passing. He was such a mentor and visionary and we lost a good one today.
— Marcus Samuelsson (@MarcusCooks) November 5, 2013