For a young chef, Tyler Vorce already has taken a unique journey through the culinary world. He grew up in Maine, started working in restaurants at the age of 14, went to Johnson & Wales University and started cooking his way through New York, and eventually landed at Thomas Keller’s Napa Valley landmark The French Laundry.
Now the journey brings Vorce to Las Vegas, where he admits he “had pretty much zero connections.” His wife was born and raised here, and his one friend from culinary school that works locally (at Esther’s Kitchen) introduced him to Dan Krohmer, who had just opened the innovative and versatile Durango Social Club last summer.
“I was just looking to get back in the kitchen. I wanted to start something on the weekends just to get to cook for people again,” Vorce says.
His pop-up residency, Lilli, was born at DSC just before Thanksgiving, a seven-course tasting menu influenced by his experiences with fine French and Mediterranean dining. The residency was quickly extended through February, and now it’s open-ended.
“It’s been incredible getting to cook in Las Vegas but also be a part of the community,” he says. “Dan built such an incredible restaurant with Other Mama, and then being able to walk into the Durango Social Club space and have people come in who love Dan and want to check it out, it’s exciting to get to know this scene and be a part of it.”
Vorce’s greatest influence is ingredients, so his menu is changing often based on what’s available. “That’s also been a great learning experience, getting to know different vendors out here,” he says. “I’ve been able to work with the same duck farmer I worked with for years at The French Laundry. It’s all about being able to serve a menu with really honest ingredients.”
LILLI Saturdays & Sundays, 7 p.m., $125 seven-course tasting menu. Durango Social Club, 3655 S. Durango Drive #29, lilli.vegas.
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