Aug. 17--Busts (the ones above the neckline) are about the most European way of memorializing someone.
Chef Didier Durand, who has upheld classic French cooking in Chicago for nearly 30 years, would like to erect one of the classic statues -- featuring a person from the shoulders up -- to honor the most influential chef of his time: Charlie Trotter.
Durand is closing his River North restaurant Cyrano's Farm Kitchen after two decades, and he's devoting two of his last dinner services to make his bust dream happen. He's hoping to raise the $6,000 to $12,000 needed to place a Charlie Trotter bust on Michigan Avenue.
"We want to keep Charlie's legacy alive," Durand said. "All the work he has done, I think it's important we pay homage."
Durand has enlisted some big-named chefs for the dinners this Sunday and Monday (Aug. 22 and 23), including Thomas Rice and Kurt Guzowski from Tete Charcuterie, Erick Williams from mk, Allen Sternweiler from Butcher The Burger and Kevin Cuddihee from Two. Each dinner is 7 courses and costs $150 inclusive of food, beverages, taxes and gratuity.
Durand said if he runs into government red tape trying to install a statue on Michigan Avenue, the Chicago Culinary Museum and the Foodseum (both without permanent addresses at the moment) would be logical locations for the bust.
There's currently a bust of Jack Brickhouse, the longtime play-by-play announcer for the Cubs, on Michigan Avenue just north of the river.
Find tickets to Durand's dinners and more information at ABustForCharlie.com.
kpang@tribpub.com
Twitter @pang
