Chef Charlie Trotter Passes Away - Remember the United Menus?

I read an article this morning that Chef Charlie Trotter passed away. For those who don't know him, he partnered with United Airlines back in 2010, to create some up-scale menu options in United's premier cabins. I got to try a couple of them on a flight from IAD-LHR, and sadly, I wasn't too impressed. The fish was dry, and the sauce seemed bland to me. However, there were some very good chicken and steak options that were supposedly good.

 

We dined at Charlie Trotters about 10 years ago and it was a memorable ( but expensive) meal.

That said I never could understand ( well... except for the cash the airlines must have shelled out to them) why any renowned chef would want his named even remotely
associated with airline food and frankly I pay scant attention to who may or may not be listed on the menu as chef.

Fact is I have never ( and never ever expect to) had a meal on the best F offerings as good as something I can whip up at home in 15 mins, the condition of their preparation just don't allow it.

 

A few years ago i stopped by his Bar Charlie(?) in the Palazzo/Las Vegas for the sole reason that it allowed dining overlooking the kitchen area and was a wonderful up-close experience. I remember it was seafood-driven, perhaps on the sushi side of things. Anyway very, very positive experience though i had not tried his namesake in Chicago.

As with other comments, I've not had much to expect from any celebrity chef associated with an airline. Charlie did seem to raise the awareness for dining for Chicago, so here's to those contributions. (my best meal in Chicago likely was at Gordon some years ago).

 

Wow. Sad news! I had the pleasure of dining atbhis restaurant I'm Chicago around 1997-98. And I did get to see him there. Now I have to see if he autographed the cookbook I bought.

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Rest in Peace ... http://www.charlietrotters.com/restaurant/

 

Bingo !
Charlie is one of those that helped put Chicago dining on the map. His pursuit of excellence & recognition also rubbed off on other Chicago chefs to raise their game.

I understand he was very philanthropic.

So self taught chef, philanthropic, helped out Chicago dining scene, great life, too bad it ended early. R.I.P.

 

Yes. While i had lived in Chicago many, many years ago, I can't think of another chef other than Rick Bayless that as an outsider/non-resident (me) I would closely associate with Chicago dining in such a positive manner as Charlie Trotter (OK, let the Mike Ditka/Ditka's / Michael Jordan's/Jordan's jokes roll off ...). The sad part of this is that he was still young and i was reading that he had taken time off to do other things and it seems there wasn't enough time to throughly enjoy some of the rewards of his success.

 

RIP, got this twitted yesterday.
Guy Fieri ‏@GuyFieri 5 Nov
Sad day...lost one of the greats...chef Charlie Trotter will be missed.

 

After love, there is only cuisine!



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terrible news he was very respected chef. Its a shame he died so young.

 

yes he had as much to do with industry as Testuya, Thomas Keller, Heston did

 

RIP. A terrible loss, at such relatively young age.

 

I agree 2 Michelin starred chef who has such an impact on dining in Chicago should not have died so young

 

Interesting, though sad. We were just commenting on his contributions to the UAL in-flight food, this morning, as we flew back to PHX from ORD.

We were also less than impressed by his UAL meals, and not much more so, at his Chicago restaurant.

Still, it is sad, and thanks for pointing this out.

Going back about 15 years, UAL did elevate their in-flight food, plus their wine selections, but we have felt that it has gone downhill, since then, even in Global FC on international routes. It is just not what it once was, but guess that too few complain. When other airlines are kicking it up "a notch," UAL seems content to limp along - or we just fly UAL too often?

Appreciated,

Hunt