# Farewell Charlie Trotter's



## DeepCSweede (Aug 30, 2012)

I am heading to Chicago tomorrow for a great event. Unfortunately, it is only to buy my wife her birthday gift and not to party the night away with Charlie. I tried talking her into it, but being 8 months pregnant, watching me have multiple cocktails and partake in some unbelievable food all night just didnt really appeal to her.

Like him or hate him, the man is one of the masters and Chicago will definitely have a hole in its restaurant draw with his departure. Anyone do time under his watch?

From a customer standpoint, I was blessed with only one dinner there and was thoroughly impressed. The Chicago Tribune has a multiple part series this week which has been an interesting read. 

Take care Charlie and hope we see you again someday. :aloha:


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## Salty dog (Aug 30, 2012)

I'm in the hate camp.

But I hate most people.


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## SameGuy (Aug 30, 2012)

Salty dog said:


> I'm in the hate camp.
> 
> But I hate most people.



HAH! I like you even more now.


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## apicius9 (Aug 30, 2012)

Could anyone point out to the uninformed what's controversial about him? I have 2 cook books by him that I like, but I don't know much about the man himself and why he has people hating him. Thanks,

Stefan


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## NO ChoP! (Aug 30, 2012)

He lost a big lawsuit some years back, and had to pay ALL of his ex employees back pay. Rumor was he made threats to ruin anyones career who kept it; most returned it to him, out of fear of course...


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## tkern (Aug 30, 2012)

The food was good (if you like towers with sauce around them) but the man was an *******. He got off on letting people know he was Charlie Trotter. He's the classic example of someone who was picked on as a child and didnt let it go.


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## DeepCSweede (Aug 30, 2012)

NO ChoP! said:


> He lost a big lawsuit some years back, and had to pay ALL of his ex employees back pay. Rumor was he made threats to ruin anyones career who kept it; most returned it to him, out of fear of course...



Apparently he didn't pay any overtime to employees. Also, is known for being a complete bear in the kitchen, very intense and demands silence from his staff while they are working. Personally, if I was working for him, I would probably hate him, but I can appreciate his food and the fact that he is a draw to the Chicago market. If he treated his customers like a D-bag like certain other Chicago restaurants, I don't care how good his food was, I wouldn't step foot in the place.


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## UCChemE05 (Aug 30, 2012)

NO ChoP! said:


> He lost a big lawsuit some years back, and had to pay ALL of his ex employees back pay. Rumor was he made threats to ruin anyones career who kept it; most returned it to him, out of fear of course...



I found this to be a good article on the subject.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/enter...rotter-sidebars-kim-20120830,0,5954465.column


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## DeepCSweede (Aug 30, 2012)

Also, I knew nothing about him when I went there 10-12 years ago, I had a client that wanted to check it out and they had an opening that night. I didn't meet him at dinner, so I don't even know how he treats customers.


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## Namaxy (Aug 30, 2012)

Dined there twice. Once years ago with my late wife's family. They loved it and I bit my tongue. We got a 'tour' (read whisk through) the kitchen...by then my tongue was full on bleeding. A few years later I went back on business. Truthfully, a good meal, particularly given my negative image of the place. I'd never be a fan, especially given the guy's personality and treatment of staff. But one of my two meals there was darn good.


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