The renowned Charlie Trotter was a gifted, innovative, Chicago-based chef who passed away in November 2013. Following his death, his alumni chef created the Trotter Project to create a series of charitable initiatives and programs centered on the culinary arts, service, education and excellence.

Also in his honor, the State of Illinois proclaimed Aug. 17 , 2014 as Charlie Trotter Day.

The Trotter Project invited chefs and diners across the United States to celebrate Trotter’s lasting legacy through support of the Trotter Project. Chefs were asked to create a Trotter-inspired dish to offer on their menu on Aug. 16-17 and then donate the proceeds to the Trotter Project.

Chef Justin Carlisle, owner and executive chef of Ardent, 1751 N. Farwell Ave., is participating in this event by offering a Trotter-inspired dish on Saturday, Aug. 16.

"Charlie Trotter set the bar higher than ever before in the United States. He staged everywhere and brought back a culmination of the best ideas and innovations that he had collected from around the world," says Carlisle. "He helped change the way that I look at food. For that alone, there is no way I would turn down an opportunity to work with the Trotter Project," Carlisle told Serena Pollack on the Boelter SuperStore blog. 

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