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In honor of the late, legendary Chicago chef Charlie Trotter's passing today, here are menus from his eponymous restaurant over the years. Bloomberg critic Ryan Sutton points out that Trotter was a key figure in the evolution of the tasting menu in America, offering both a grand tasting menu and a vegetable-focused tasting menu long before either made regular appearances in American restaurants. After 25 years, the chef closed Charlie Trotter's in 2012 in order to go to graduate school. Have a look at some of the menus from the restaurant's last years of service and check out the opening menu from 1987 over at the Chicago Tribune:
2004
[Photo: @ChefChumba]
2007

[Photo: @jriceepstein]
2008
[Photo: D.L/ / Flickr]
[Photo: D.L. / Flickr]
2012
[Photo: @normanvanaken]
[Photo: CharlieTrotters.com]
[Photo: CharlieTrotters.com]
· Charlie Trotter, Chef Who Promoted Tasting Menus, Dies at 54 [Bloomberg]
· Chicago Chef Charlie Trotter Dead at 54 [-E-]
· All Charlie Trotter Coverage on Eater [-E-]