"At Charlie Trotter’s in Lincoln Park I learned that the late, legendary chef Charlie Trotter took Lopez under his wing, hiring him to work summers in the late 1990s and setting him on a path toward fine dining; under then-sous chef Reginald Watkins Lopez was impressed with the importance of familiarizing himself with the kitchen’s plethora of fresh ingredients. That early mentorship was pivotal in steering Lopez toward culinary school and a professional career." - Serena Maria Daniels