Quotes from Charlie Trotter

My plan is to work on a master's in philosophy.

I have a goal so lofty it's almost embarrassing to talk about. And that's to be the best restaurant in the world.

Life's too short. You may be on this planet for 80 years at best or who knows, but you can't just pedal around and do the same thing forever.

For over 20 years, I have been saying that Chicago is by far one of the greatest food cities in the world.

There has been no great surprise, no sudden revelation. I knew pretty much what I was getting into. What I've learned is that a restaurant can be as much of an art as you want it to be, but it has to be a successful business first.

I'm all about making money. It's the greatest thing, because it means you get money to spend.

I have a certain point of view, a certain way to plate food, certain ingredients that I like to use.

Cooking is exactly like making music.

I don't know how to put this gently, but I'm trying to tackle the biggest question of all, which is the God question.

If you want the meaning of families and life and religion and philosophy rolled into one package, all you need to read is The Brothers Karamazov.

You've got to give away what you love.

I timed my previous wife's pregnancy to the moment to have my son born on Bob Dylan's 50th birthday. There is no bigger Bob Dylan fan than me. You don't just time the day and impregnate your wife to get your kid to be born on Bob Dylan's 50th birthday.

The most successful food, I think, is food that both appeals to the super-sophisticated diner or foodie and to the lay diner at the same time.

The body cannot produce enzymes in perfect combinations to metabolize your foods as completely as the food enzymes created by nature do. This results in partially digested fats, proteins, and starches that can clog your body's intestinal tract and arteries.

I worked in 40 restaurants over a five-year period.

I love faltering. I love, in a sense, coming up short. Because you learn nothing from success. You learn so much from failing.

What I was reading was already part of my psyche, but finally someone else was saying it's okay to walk alone.

I got on a Dostoyevsky kick right after college. I started with 'Crime and Punishment,' went on to 'The Possessed' and then 'The Brothers Karamazov' and 'The Idiot.'

The idea that you have to pursue greatness... it's up to you; it's your life.

If you ever want to get anywhere in life, you're going to have to push it, and somebody's going to push you to get there. End of story.

I believe in focusing on details.

All four elements were happening in equal measure - the cuisine, the wine, the service, and the overall ambience. It taught me that dining could happen at a spiritual level.

A quarter century of running a restaurant - that's a long time to do one thing.

At home, a man is entitled to raise his voice maybe once a year, if something really gets under his skin. At work, it's different. I raise my voice all the time. Not out of malice, but to get things right. It's never personal.