Naman Shrestha
Considered one of the best chefs to come out of America, the late Chef Charlie Trotter revolutionized the food industry with his restaurant, Charlie Trotter’s, in Chicago, Illinois. Shedding light on his rise to fame and popularity, ‘Love Charlie: The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter’ provides an in-depth look into his life. The documentary also features interviews with his family members, including his mother, Donna-Lee Trotter, and his sister, Anne Hinkamp Trotter, with whom he shared a loving bond.
Charlie Trotter’s Family Was a Significant Part of His Life and Restaurant
On September 8, 1959, in the Wilmette suburb of Chicago, Illinois, Donna-Lee Trotter and Robert Charles “Bob” Trotter gave birth to Charles “Charlie” Trotter. Besides him, the couple had two more sons, Thomas and Scott, and a daughter named Anne Hinkamp. The son of Elizabeth Ameter and Hugh Berry Trotter, Bob was born and raised in Evanston, Illinois, before moving to Wilmette. Completing his higher education at Northwestern University, he formed a jazz band called the Bob Trotter Sextet in the 1940s and co-founded the Northbrook Gymnastics School. In 1962, he founded a recruitment and placement company for computer professionals called Source EDP, which became a huge success. He helped establish 100 branch offices in several major cities across the nation.
The firm was later divided into different parts, such as Source Finance and Source Engineering, while Source Services Inc. was the parent company. After taking the organization to newer heights through his determination and vision, he decided to semi-retire in the 1970s while remaining on the board of directors. By the time Charlie grew up, he had expressed his desire to become a chef to Bob and Donna-Lee. So, in order to help him test recipes for his restaurant, his parents used to invite their friends over for dinner. Finally, Charlie’s vision became a reality in 1987 as he established his namesake restaurant — Charlie Trotter’s — with his father at 816 West Armitage Avenue.
Bob was responsible for handling the business side of the restaurant, while Charlie focused on the food. His mother, Donna-Lee, also contributed a lot to Charlie Trotter’s. Initially, she helped him get a stable start and later, she used to work at the hostess stand each Saturday night until the restaurant was closed. As for his younger sister, Anne Trotter Hinkamp, she had a close-knit bond with Charlie. According to her, growing up with him was exciting and challenging, as he expected others to display the same level of commitment as him. Good for the Drake University graduate, though; she was used to it. She told Chicago Tribune, “Charlie used to say that he raised my brothers and me. I don’t think it’d be too far for me to say he raised many others in this room as well.”
While Bob Passed Away in 1993, Donna-Lee and Anne Seemingly Lead a Peaceful Life in Private
Tragically, Charlie Trotter passed away on November 5, 2013, at the age of 54. The loss left a void in his loved ones’ hearts as he had impacted and touched many souls during his time on the planet. At his memorial, his mother, Donna-Lee Trotter, announced that he would be cremated and expressed her surprise to see so many people coming up to her and saying: “You don’t know how he changed my life.” Meanwhile, Anne Trotter Hinkamp also reminisced about her childhood with her brother and how fun it was growing up beside him.
Charlie’s father, Robert Charles “Bob” Trotter, could not be in attendance because he had already passed away way before his son, on June 4, 1993, in Evanston Hospital at the age of 62. In 2014, a few months after his tragic demise, Charlie’s mother and son, Dylan, announced the establishment of the nonprofit organization — The Trotter Project — on the same spot as his restaurant, on Armitage Avenue. His sister, Anne, is also the Founding Member of the organization. While not much is known about Donna-Lee, it appears that Anne resides in the Greater Chicago Area and is dedicated to The Trotter Project.
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