I just read a relentlessly snarky profile of the brilliant chef Charlie Trotter. Charlie is one of the pioneers of modern cooking, a gracious host and a perfectionist as well.

The Times is disappointed that he hasn't opened chains of restaurants, made a fool of himself on reality TV or decamped to a more expensive building in Chicago. All he's done, it seems, is mentor an entire generation of chefs, consistently create amazing meals and also donate once-in-a-lifetime, multi-course dinners for rising high school students in Chicago (150 times a year).

There will always be someone telling you that you're not hip enough, famous enough, edgy enough or whatever enough. That's their agenda. What's yours?

Shun the non-believers.

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