LINCOLN PARK — Charlie Trotter will fire up the stove again Friday at his famed — and now closed — Lincoln Park restaurant. But don't call it a comeback.
Trotter, who called it quits on Aug. 31 after 25 years in business, is hosting a one-night-only "pop-up reception" for his close friend and fellow chef Norman Van Aken and his new book, "My Key West Kitchen: Recipes and Stories." Trotter wrote the foreword.
You can't just pop in to the restaurant at 816 W. Armitage Ave. The event is invite-only and limited to about 40 people, mostly chefs and friends of the restaurant, says Trotter.
It will be very casual — six or so passed appetizers (the recipes coming from Aken's book), wine, maybe a special cocktail. There isn't enough staff left at the restaurant to do much more.
"We're down to our last five or six staff people," said Trotter, who has asked former employees to come back and help out.
On New Year's Eve, Trotter announced he would close his world-famous restaurant. The reason? He is going back to school for a master's degree in philosophy. He is enrolled for a spring start at the University of Chicago.
He hasn't had much down time to prepare for this next venture. His wine cellar, more than 4,000 bottles deep, goes up for auction at Christie's in New York on Nov. 16, with an online auction to take place Nov. 20 through Dec. 4.
Demand for Trotter's wine is high, to say the least. When the shipment arrived in New York a few weeks ago, it was about 60 cases short. A Christie's spokesperson could not comment on the missing wine, saying only it was "a matter of ongoing investigation."
In early December, Trotter said, a Chicago auction house will handle the sale of the restaurant's remaining plateware, stemware, artwork, furniture, framed menus and other memorabilia. He also plans to sell the two buildings that house his restaurant and studio kitchen.
"I didn't realize what a massive undertaking breaking down a business is," he said.
