KCAA: Let's Dine Out with Allan Borgen (Sat, 7 Jun, 2025)

·1 hr·5 clips

Chef James Trees explains why a restaurant gets better or worse every single day, based on Michael Mina's advice.

This episode of "Let's Dine Out With Allan Borgen" features host Allan Borgen and co-host Izzy Bussey in conversation with Las Vegas chef James Trees. Chef Trees is a celebrated local restaurateur, having been named Chef of the Year, and operates multiple establishments including Esther's Kitchen, Ada's, and Al Salido Posto. The discussion centers on the evolution of Las Vegas's dining scene and the philosophy behind Chef Trees's restaurants. Allan Borgen opens by sharing his recent positive experience with affordable dental work in Tijuana. Chef Trees recounts his experience during the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, noting the city had a definite buzz but his own restaurants catered mostly to regulars. He highlights how local sports teams like the Golden Knights and the Aces have become community pillars and are regulars at his restaurants, mentioning players like Zach Whitecloud and Chelsea Plum. The conversation critiques the Las Vegas Strip's restaurant scene, which Chef Trees believes is out of ideas and engages in price gouging, citing a $734 bill for two at Voltaire. He praises the growth of local brands and ethnic enclaves like Chinatown, naming specific favorites such as 8-ounce Korean BBQ and Shanghai Taste. Chef Trees announces the upcoming expansion of his flagship, Esther's Kitchen, which is moving to a space triple its current size to improve the guest experience. He explains that Esther's is a singular, personal expression of his cooking, with a menu that changes at least once a week based on team and guest collaboration. A memorable example involved adding a whipped mascarpone element to a strawberry pancake dish after a guest's suggestion. He reveals that Esther's averages 391 guests daily in a 58-seat space, aiming for a high-tempo service he now wants to slow down. Chef Trees describes creating a unique tiramisu using a coffee pavlova to add texture, detailing the complex layers of meringue, zabaglione, and coffee-infused cream. He emphasizes that his restaurants choose their customers, not the other way around, and that he will "fire" bad customers who leave unfair reviews. Chef Trees shares that his management philosophy, inspired by Michael Mina, is that a restaurant gets better or worse every single day through incremental improvements. He credits his staff for the restaurants' success, noting that many former employees have opened their own places after seeing him do it. The episode has a conversational and admiring tone, with the hosts frequently expressing their inspiration and respect for the chef's work and ethos. Listeners interested in restaurant entrepreneurship, the business of hospitality, or the Las Vegas food scene would find this episode compelling. Those seeking a highly structured interview or critical debate about the culinary industry might find the hosts' consistently praising style less engaging.

As heard by us

A blunt conversation about Yelp, social media, and the realities of answering customer complaints.

Alan Borgen opens with a personal detour about getting new teeth in Tijuana before settling into a blunt talk about Yelp, social media, and how a local business takes in customer opinion.

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Why you'd press play

You want blunt Yelp talk from a restaurant operator who does not sugarcoat reviews.

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