Sacramento Restaurants Honor Trotter

The Chicago-based chef is credited with helping to modernize American restaurants with cutting-edge cuisine.

Keith Fergel, the general manager at Taylor's Kitchen in Sacramento, once worked for Trotter. Fergel spearheaded a tribute by asking local restaurants to add special dishes to their menus.

On Capital Public Radio's Insight, Fergel said Trotter was a big influence on other chefs.

"I think his ideas and philosophies really were of the right time and maybe even a little bit too soon on some of his endeavors," said Fergel. "But his plate composition, the way he could make it look like art, was something that I think is one of his signature aspects of his cuisine."

"The plate composition is one aspect of it," Fergel said. "But his dishes tend to be a little bit lighter. He didn't use heavy creams or butters. It was all light emulsions, vinaigrettes, oils. So he really felt like that better enhanced the true flavor of the food as opposed to making it rich, making it taste good and coating your tongue."

The list of local restaurants honoring Trotter this month include: Ella, The Waterboy, Mulvaney's, Kru and The Kitchen.