Love, Charlie: The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter is a documentary about the life and career of Chicago-based celebrity chef Charlie Trotter. From talking-head interviews, archival footage, stills, and letters written by the subject his life, work, and legacy are explored.
An intriguing if somewhat limited portrait of the influential chef. His privilege is only casually referred to(he came from money, his father funded his restaurant, and it is safe to assume that his years of world traveling and eating prior to that were also parentally funded) which is disappointing. He pioneered/popularized tasting menus, vegetarianism, the chef's table but there is overall a lack of context for what his place in the culinary world was/would become. His kitchen was notoriously cutthroat and volatile and he himself was described by many as the worst boss they'd ever had, while this is acknowledged it's simply kind of accepted as part of his personality, not interrogated other than to say he was a "perfectionist". His substance abuse is also only kind of acknowledged and not delved into(it was common knowledge in Chicago in the last years of his life). Of the interview subjects only Grant Achatz offers much in the way of insight or dimensionality. The other subjects are loyal friends who provide a number of interesting anecdotes but fail to draw a full portrait of the man.
Not quite a fluff piece but certainly not a full depiction of the man or his impact. Interesting, but thin in content and middling in form.
Currently available to rent on most VOD platforms.
Stream It.
No comments:
Post a Comment