May 2007 | Tune In :: Meditation
Becoming One with Food
By Charlie Trotter
“Food philosophy” is a fairly revealing thing about one’s self. My way of life is food; It is everything I do, everything I crave, everything I am.
My approach to cuisine is about the palate and becoming one with food. Clean, pure, flavorful — sourcing the best fruits, vegetables, meat and fish on the planet — this is my culinary philosophy! I’m typically involved with seasonal, organic products only, careful to maintain the essence of an ingredient. My kitchen supports sustainable agriculture, as does a portion of our wine cellars. I once said that my goal is to create cuisine that speaks to the soul of every guest. By promoting these practices with the food that we serve, I also connect cuisine to my own soul.
Years ago, I became quite intrigued with raw and living food. I was fascinated by the challenge as I explored food on a different level. I went back to the basic properties of food, and focused on how food evolves when it is managed in various ways. It was not my initial goal to be the chef who serves a daily offering of vegetables, organic food, raw food — however, this has been a natural progression for me, personally and professionally, as my philosophy of flavor and purity led my passion in this direction.
Everything I do or say is based on the pursuit of excellence. This applies to every aspect of my life, particularly my philosophies and the restaurant. As we embrace the 20th year of Charlie Trotter’s Restaurant, it is imperative that our food philosophy allows us to sleep at night and wake up humble and thankful for each day, each guest, each and every ingredient. I must admit — and only to you — that cooking is my personal meditation. For any cook, our food philosophy is the introspective and contemplative moments with ourselves as we clean the kitchen, begin a day’s butchery or wash vegetables with care.
Charlie Trotter is a gourmet chef of international-acclaim, the author of over a dozen books on food, including RAW, and the owner of Chicago’s Charlie Trotter’s, regarded as one of the finest restaurants in the world.
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