Love, Charlie: The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter

Not having followed the food scene in the '90's, I found this a fascinating, well-researched and expertly produced character study of a celebrity chef, with in-depth, moving, revealing interviews of his ex-wife and family members. The way he changed from a fun-loving college student into an obsessive artist who neglected his relationships is well portrayed, as is the influence of his father on his career and the way he made preparing food into an art form. I would have been interested to see his dark side portrayed more thoroughly through demonstrated behaviors and more details. It would have also been interesting to hear his son's perspective. As is, this study comes across as a loving tribute as well as a cautionary tale.

We figured out early on in this documentary that the words, quirky, odd, free spirit, visionary is simply hiding the actual facts that he skated through college, hopped around the country after college from one city to the next for years. Payed entirely by his parents. At one point someone literally said "oh he worked for 2 days at a restaurant in San Francisco and decided he wouldn't learn anything and drove to Key West " what a character!!! Ugh.then went to France, mind you not ever really working. This documentary rolls over the actual facts that he became famous because his parents made him famous - they bankrolled every inch of of his life. They buy him a restaurant, they pay for the suppliers, food source, staff, all of it. We then see this entitled POS berating and humiliating his "hourly staff". Berating customers because he's a spoiled rotten, entitled human. The doc tries to hide and deflect from the actual facts. He only became a famous chef because his parents made it easy for him to do what he wanted. Sorry to say, we did not go into this Documentary with this knowledge at all and the moments we were supposed to feel compassion or empathy for this awful human, sadly didn't care. Felt only compassion for his beaten up and abused staff. Not him.

Never heard of the guy....asked everyone around me...never heard of him.... Now this doesn't mean his story isn't worth hearing. Charlie lived in a world that is unimportant. 3 star restaurants do not matter in the real world. Being a chef doesnt matter in the real world. He is another person who is praised for being an eccentric $&@hole. Who yells at people while making dishes for a fat Oprah Winfrey. Who cares?

He is why the world is what it is today. Over priced food sold in a nonsensical fashion to rich people. We don't need another Charlie. We do t need another 3 star restaurant that nobody can afford but mega rich pricks who wouldn't know &$@& from shinola. In the end he died from a stroke. So has a billion other people who had done much more important things than cooking heavy rich food for entitled people. It's such a joke. A lot.

9/10 stars.

* My biases are (in no particular order): I am nearly lifelong Illinoisian. I have not prior nor since ESPN 30 for 30 "The Last Dance" view Michael Jordan negatively: i.e. Absolute excellence I know comes at a price and many will frown on it. I dined once at Charlie Trotter in Chicago with my father. I consider it one of my best meals. In 2005 it was nearly $500 for degustation menu x2 and wine pairing x1 (for oenophile Dad) and 15% tip. I am a budding cook.

* My wife was interested during this entire documentary.

* There is often a price seeking absolute excellence.

* There were great interviews with his 1st wife, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, Grant Achatz ("Alinea" executive chef and co-owner) and Carrie Nahabedian. Conspicuously absent were interviews with his 2nd wife and 3rd wife/widow.

* I was aware of how influential Charlie Trotter was in culinary world as described by (R. I. P.) Anthony Bourdain and other interviewees. E.g. Degustation menu in USA, vegetarian degustation menu in USA, kitchen table, "food porn" (e.g. Closeup) pictures in cookbook, changing menus by season.

* Movie is also somewhat love letter to city of Chicago with some great cinematography of various Chicago areas filmed in high definition.

* Documentary director Rebecca Halpern could have discussed more of Trotter's philanthropy (e.g. He won James Beard Humanitarian Award 2012 and his Trotter Project helps teach underserved population skills for food industry jobs like Pepin Foundation does).

I dined at Charlie Trotter's and spoke with him a couple of times. Each dinner was an experience. While I only casually observed Charlie as a driven perfectionist, I have been told by friends about his complex personality. "Love, Charlie" doesn't pull any punches--it reveals the good side of Charlie, but also the more difficult side. The documentary is a very engaging description of the life and motivation of one of the world's greatest chefs.