Eleven years after the passing of the acclaimed chef, Charlie Trotter's might soon reopen inside its Armitage Avenue brownstone. The news comes directly from Trotter's son Dylan, who shared the update with Book Club Chicago earlier this week.
“I believe the restaurant will be reopened this year,” Dylan said to the outlet.
The American fine dining destination first opened in Chicago back in 1987 and was pretty quickly recognized as one of the most important restaurants in the world. Remember when he banned foie gras from his kitchen?
Trotter shut down the eatery less than a year before he passed away from a stroke at the young age of 54 back in 2012. Since then, the address has mostly sat vacant.
Although specific details regarding an official reopening are still scant, Chicagoans who can't wait should be excited about a two-week pop-up dinner series at the Lincoln Park restaurant, courtesy of chef Grant Achatz, owner of Alinea and Next. Running today through January 26 for $325 to $335 per person, the series features a Trotter tribute menu that Dylan himself collaborated on.
Achatz, who used to work for Trotter, and Dylan are also behind the imminent resuscitation of the original restaurant.
“I wouldn’t be in Chicago without Charlie Trotter,” Achatz said to Book Club Chicago, while also addressing the duo's fraught relationship over the years.
Clearly, Achatz's latest efforts amounts to more than just a revival of a beloved restaurant. It’s an opportunity to revisit and, perhaps, heal a complex past.