Remembering Chef Charlie Trotter

With the recent passing of Chef Charlie Trotter, I wanted to take a moment to post some photos from the Santé Magazine Restaurant Symposium held in 2007 at the Equinox Resort in Manchester, VT. I have to admit, that at the time I was still relatively new to the culinary scene and during those symposiums and guest chef dinners I was photographing some of the top chefs in the industry and didn’t have the time to reflect on it at the time, being too nervous to make sure my exposure and focus was spot on in the kitchens while dodging boiling pots and harried sous chefs. So when Chef Trotter came to the hotel to begin preparing for the amazing wine-pairing tasting with Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein, and tables we set up in the back prep area, I could sense his intense focus and preparation and how that carried over to the hotel’s chef team assisting with the plating for about 80 seminar attendees, many of whom were accomplished chefs and restaurant owners.

Much has been written and documented about his career, I hesitate to use the word “star”—even though he was—I could tell I was in the presence of a brilliant mind. He seemed to be simultaneously focusing on the task at hand but another part of his mind seemed somewhere else, thinking of the next step. His restaurants pushed the envelope and everything I have read, as with all great chefs, he worked hard at his craft and brought everyone around him up a level, pushing for excellence.

According to the Chicago Tribune, he apparently died of an in-operable brain aneurysm that he was diagnosed with after some dizzy spells, and had recently closed his restaurant in Chicago being told by his doctor to avoid flying and stressful working conditions. I can only imagine how that must have affected him.

His legacy in the industry will be felt for a long time.

Advertisement