Charlie Trotter opened Charlie Trotter's (Chicago) in 1987 with his father, Bob Trotter, as his partner. The restaurant was open for 25 years.

Chef Trotter did not come from a "food focused" family. His interest in food developed while he was in college and his roommate, Joel Fish (who was an avid cook), would prepare various courses for his friends to taste. Trotter became interested in what Joel was doing, and soon found himself immersed in the world of cookbooks and preparing meals as a way of entertainment for his friends and roommates!

Midway through his college tenure (University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin) he decided to take a year off and read every book he could, including cookbooks. As a way to make a living while on break, Trotter took a job as a waiter. Upon return to college, where he earned his Bachelor's of Science degree in Political Science, he began once again cooking and catering small parties.

After graduating from college, Trotter traveled around the U.S. and Europe to dine at the finest restaurants. He wanted to learn how the "best" earned that title and see what the future could possibly hold for him.

He returned to the States and began catering parties (tasting menu format) for friends of his family. This was his way to "test the waters" on his culinary skills and his focus on the caliber of service and wine emphasis he desired. After doing this successfully for just over a year, he opened Charlie Trotter's with his father as his partner.

The figure who most impressed Trotter during his culinary development was Fernand Point (of the famed Ma Gastronomie). Trotter was impressed most by Point's sense of generosity, and it resonated with Trotter's own highly philanthropic nature.

Trotter never went to culinary school, and was completely self taught. His first cooking job was at a restaurant in the North Shore area of Chicago called Sinclair's (of the famous Gordon Sinclair). He was a cook there and worked under many now well-known chefs including Norman Van Aken and Carrie Nahabedian.

Chef Trotter has always had a strong philanthropic sense and his establishment of the Charlie Trotter Culinary Education foundation (which supplied scholarships to those entering culinary programs) as well as the Excellence Program (which allowed high school students to come in and experience the cuisine of the restaurant, all the while hearing from various staff members about how they pursue excellence on a daily basis) were two closest to his heart.