Wicked Spoon Pays Respects to Charlie Trotter Today

Wicked Spoon remembers Chicago legend Charlie Trotter, who died in his home on Tuesday, with a tribute through dishes all day long at the buffet at Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Look for Kashi and dried cranberry salad with celery roasted pumpkin and ginger vinaigrette, cumin-scented lamb ribs with porcini potato puree and golden raisins, a steamed scallop and lobster salad with bok choy and lemongrass coconut emulsion and pork belly, chanterelle and black olive braciole with wilted chard and caperberry garlic jus.

From the press release, chef de cuisine Steve Gotham talks about his inspiration for the dishes.

The dishes are built around some signature components and techniques that he was known for. The stuffed pork belly is a rendition of a dish that he produced for his Meat and Game cookbook. The kasha and cranberry salad a reflection of the staunch commitment to seasonality, that we also try to echo in Wicked Spoon, cranberries and pumpkin being at their peak in November. Chef Trotter was making the emulsion-style frothed sauces almost before anyone and always showcased a flair for Asian flavors in his cooking both of which we are trying to reflect in the steamed seafood sausage dish.

When I was in college I would often watch his show on PBS, The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter, and I very much respected a number of the philosophical beliefs that he presented. It had an impact on my decision to pursue a career in the culinary arts rather than continue to graduate school. Through the years I have worked with a number of people that came through his kitchen and they were all deeply influenced by the experience. That is something that is a very important quality for a chef, not just to produce great food, but to be able to influence and inspire the people around you.

Chef Trotter was very important in that regard and many of the most influential chefs of this current generation worked and trained under him. For that reason we feel that it is important to recognize and celebrate him. He had a large role in changing and elevating food culture in this country for nearly 30 years. We would all like to hope to accomplish a fraction as much and inspire our team and co-stars to do and feel the same.

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