James Trees, Chef

Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, James Trees began his culinary career as a teenager at the Mirage Hotel & Casino on the Strip prior to attending the Culinary Institute of America, then rising through ranks under chefs including Heston Blumenthal, Eric Ripert, Bradley Ogden,  Michael Mina, Akasha Richmond and Ray Garcia.  His first independent restaurant, Esther's Kitchen, offering seasonal Italian in the Downtown Las Vegas Arts District, has become a local and tourist must-visit.  Trees has followed that with Al Solito Posto, featuring refined East Coast Italian and Ada's Food & Wine. Chef Trees' restaurants have been featured in media including The New York Times, TIME, Washington Post, Travel & Leisure, Robb Report, National Geographic, CNN, The Times of London, Thrillist, and Eater–In addition to a growing number of local accolades including Best Chef and Best Italian nods from multiple media outlets. In 2022, Esther's Kitchen was listed at #15 on Trip Advisor's "Hidden Gems" for the entire US. In 2020, Chef Trees was named a Finalist for the James Beard Award: Best Chef Southwest. In 2024, he received the Key To The City of Las Vegas from Mayor Carolyn Goodman.