Place Category: Cocktail Lounge, Italian, Outside Dining, and Weekend BrunchPlace Tags: Chef Owned and Operated
We specialize in Seasonal Italian Cuisine. Pasta, bread, and pizza made in house. We highlight local farms and seasonal Vegetables.
WHO IS ESTHER?
Great-aunt Esther was a tough, smart, no-nonsense type who cared about people and gave good advice. “She was a big support to my mom when I was growing up, and that was huge,” says Trees. “She was always there for us.” Esther wrote the check that sent Chef Trees off to the CIA (after all, someone had to get him out of Alfio’s kitchen). And when she passed in 2016 she left James a nest egg – the money he needed to finally open his own restaurant.
The restaurant is named in her honor for all of this, and because everyone hopefully has someone like Aunt Esther. Whoever that person was for you, when you walk in the door we want you to feel like you’re at their house. We want you to feel cared for.
Brunch:
Saturday and Sunday 10a.m. to 3p.m.JAMES TREES
James worked for two years learning this foundation before being accepted to The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York. Having worked in five star restaurants before the CIA, James was already qualified to work with CIA chefs on outside projects including assisting two chefs as lead apprentice for their Certified Master Chef tests. He has had the privilege of working under great chefs such as Luke Palladino, Bradley Ogden, Michael Mina, Alex Stratta, Jacques Van Statten, Eric Ripert and Gordon Ramsay. He has led kitchens for some of Los Angeles’ best chefs: Steven Fretz, Akasha Richmond and Ray Garcia.
Right out of the CIA James went to work as a line cook for Eric Ripert and then went on to work for Michael Mina at Aqua. After one year at the Bellagio restaurant he was promoted to sous chef at the age of 21, becoming the youngest sous chef ever to work at the five-star five-diamond hotel. He remained in this position until moving to Bradley Ogden at Caesar’s Palace as chef tournant. It was during his time there that the restaurant received Best New Restaurant from the James Beard Foundation, a first for any Las Vegas restaurant. He went on to work for Rising Star Chef Jacques van Statten at Alize’ as demi-chef.
After a near-tragic car accident which slowed him down for three months rather than the year that the doctors anticipated, James went back to work for Michael Mina and was promoted to corporate sous chef after a stage at The Fat Duck outside London. He went on to train hundreds of young cooks while opening five restaurants for Chef Mina, finally taking the position as chef de cuisine under Steven Fretz at Michael Mina’s restaurant XIV. After working with Michael Mina for five years he worked with chef Gordon Ramsay and colleague Andi Van Willigan on both “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Hell’s Kitchen.” This experience allowed him to share his knowledge of how independent restaurants become profitable and allowed James to refine his understanding of the pitfalls of the business he had worked inside of for so many years.
But James is a chef, not a television person, and after one year of working in TV James needed to get back into the kitchen and back to his craft. He took the position of Chef de Cuisine at FIG in Santa Monica, where he led the kitchen to record business levels and profits all while winning awards in sustainability and working with local farmers and foragers to produce food of unequaled quality in Southern California. From there he went on to helm Hutchinson’s and the Superba restaurant group – all of which only stoked his desire to return home to Las Vegas and open his own place, servings up his own unique blend of elegant Italian comfort food.
