Growing up in Southern Nevada, James Trees learned about Italian cooking and cuisine in the kitchens of friends and family, honing his skills at the Culinary Institute of America and earning an associate’s degree in culinary arts.
He perfected his craft working under chefs such as Michael Mina, Anthony Carron, Steven Fretz, Bradley Odgen, and “for a few unforgettable years, with Gordon Ramsay on his TV shows,” said Trees, who relocated back to Las Vegas in 2017 to open Esther’s Kitchen in January 2018.
“When I came back to Las Vegas, my goal was just to bring something I thought was missing to the city, and my response was a simple seasonal neighborhood Italian restaurant that has honestly been far and beyond my expectations,” said Trees, who named the restaurant after his great-aunt Esther, whom he credits as a great inspiration, along with his childhood best friend Alfio. “Having publications call us ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Best Italian’ and ‘Best of the City’ has been very humbling, but what really matters is making sure every customer has the best experience we can give, and we have to earn that every day. So I do whatever needs to be done, from breaking down pigs or fish, to expediting food, washing dishes, or taking design meetings for new projects.”
Among these new endeavors, Trees recently opened 108 Eats on the 108th floor of the Stratosphere. In addition, Ada’s will open in Tivoli Village in late spring.
“And there will definitely be other projects announced before the end of the year,” said Trees, who supports Three Square, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Green Our Planet and the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.