Charlie Trotter, Beloved Chef Dies at 54

Charlie Trotter, Beloved Chef Dies at 54

Charlie Trotter is said to have revolutionized the way most Americans regard fine dining, pushing the limits in both end result and techniques. The 54 year old chef died this Tuesday, exactly one year after he closed his signature self-entitled restaurant in Chicago, a restaurant that is said to have basically put Chicago on the map of the world food scene.

The same restaurant is credited with forming some of the most talented chefs in the United States today like Graham Elliot.

An ambulance was called at Trotter’s home at 10 a.m. this Tuesday. At the scene, the paramedics found the chef unconscious and transported him to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was declared dead after doctors were unable to resuscitate him. An autopsy to determine the cause of death is planned for this Wednesday.

Trotter’s wife, Rochelle, publicly expressed his family’s shock and thanked everyone for their response and kind messages. TV personality and former chef Anthony Bourdain credited Trotter with creating an identity and quality for American cuisine that was “on par with Europe”.

Despite all his innovations and accomplishments, the regretted chef never actually went to culinary school. Charlie Trotter cooked his way up, working in restaurants all across the east coast of the U.S. and in France, creating a unique style based on simplicity and “clean cooking”.

Posted by Kade Quinn on Tuesday November 05 2013, 7:45 PM EST. Ref: abcnews. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Entertainment, Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0