The Best Vegan Chef in America Has a Radical Rule for Running His Kitchen

In a culinary world run on high stakes and urgency, Aaron Adams Casañas is doing something radical: turning down the pressure cooker—and he’s cooking better than ever because of it. The 51-year-old chef began his culinary career in the mid 1990s, steadily building up his profile in the kitchen, from washing dishes in Seattle steakhouses to working as the chef de partie at upscale resorts in Guam. In 2003, he landed in Portland where he would birth influential vegan restaurants like Portobello Vegan Trattoria, Farm Spirit, and Fermenter—each pushing plant-based cuisine to more thoughtful, elevated heights.

Today, Adams Casañas leads Astera, an intimate fine-dining experience grounded in local produce, foraged ingredients, and a deep respect for the people and ecosystems behind it all. Fresh off his VegNews Veggie Awards Chef of the Year win, Adams Casañas sat down with VegNews to discuss why he refuses to engage with plant-based panic cycles, how he’s restructured restaurant life around family and well-being, and the surprising ingredients and ideas currently fueling one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the country.

Adams Casañas plating alongside Chef de Cuisine Saxon Stites | Celeste Noche

Richard Bowie: Tell us about your philosophy at Astera.

Aaron Adams Casañas: We have a few goals, but if I were to use one phrase I’d say “create connections.” Firstly, we attempt to connect our guests to the here and now. That is to say, we try to have them feel the connection to our region and get a sense of this place through seasonal and local produce. We also want them to feel connected to the people who delivered this produce to us: the farmers and foragers. It’s very important to me that guests understand the sacredness and respect we hold for that work, which is why we emphasize zero waste so much.

RB: What’s something readers might not expect—or might even get wrong—about vegan fine dining?

AAC: Time and time again we have people surprised how satiated they are. We hear from husbands who are dragged kicking and screaming to Astera because they’d rather be at a steakhouse be absolutely floored by not only the quality of food and service, but that they’re not leaving hungry. A lot of those folks have become repeat customers.

RB: There are a lot of narratives around veganism right now: how the industry is faltering, how the restaurants are closing, how we’re “losing the war.” What are your thoughts?

AAC: I don’t pay attention to any of that. I try to make my restaurant appealing to a lot of folks, which is why we don’t use the word vegan … we create a conversation throughout the meal about animal welfare, sustainable agriculture, and waste with cards we present on the table that accompany some of the courses. It’s thought provoking and helps facilitate conversation, and makes people feel like they’re doing something just by dining. But I think we should not worry about the monikers but rather focus on the concepts. Give people the information, but don’t make them feel like they’re joining a cult. I’d prefer people to eat plants rather than animals, but I’d also prefer people eat more plants than animals, as well. I used to be so hardline, but I guess I’ve softened with age.

Chanterelles, sunchoke, kale, and herbs mimic an Oregon forest floor | Astera

RB: And after more than 30 years under your belt, how has that softening manifested in your day-to-day life?

AAC: I used to let things get to me, but I’ve mellowed out incredibly the past couple of years, especially since our daughter was born in 2024. I prioritize my family first, my health and well-being second, and my restaurant is down the list somewhere around four or five. I don’t let it consume me entirely anymore. I don’t obsess about numbers, try to leave work at work, and take plenty of time to ride my bike or go hiking. I emphasize this with my staff as well, which is why we’re only open four days a week. You just can’t do good work or be creative if you’re miserable or dreading going into the kitchen.

RB: How else does care look like for your team right now, given things like burnout, shifting dining habits, and even political unrest?

AAC: We’re pretty immune from worrying about shifting dining habits, as we seem to be pretty busy most of the time. Burnout is always a concern, as my staff are all very ambitious. I have to tell them to not come in sometimes. Political unrest is taking its toll a bit.

If things get too overwhelming, I just close for the night. It doesn’t happen often—probably four or five times in the past year or so. If we don’t think we can do the job at 100 percent because we’re down too much staff, we’re feeling sick or burned out, or a key team member has a panic attack or has to be with family during a crisis, we close. I’d rather have them happy to work for me.

We can always reschedule guests, and usually they’re quite understanding. Like I said, it doesn’t happen often, but my team knows it’s always an option, and I always have their back.

RB: Portland swept this year’s Restaurant Awards—why do you think that is?

AAC: There’s a lot of heart and talent here. From really plant-forward restaurants like Feral to amazing cultural-focused cuisines like Mirisata, Mis Tacones, and—my favorite— Obon Shokudo, you’d be hard-pressed to run out of great meals here. That, along with us being lucky to have the great vegan bakeries like Orange and Blossom, cheesemakers like Cultured Kindness, and my favorite sandwich shop on the planet Rad Magic Subs … I mean, Portland still remains the epicenter of vegan dining for the country, especially when you consider how small we are compared to Los Angeles and New York City.

RB: If you had to choose the second-best vegan city right now, which would it be and why?

AAC: I don’t know what’s happening in the world out there, because I’m a toddler dad with a restaurant (laughs). But I can say that the best vegan meal I had last year was at Pietramala in Philadelphia. Chef Ian Graye is the real deal. Insane talent. Insane palate. That man turns himself inside out for his craft. There’s nobody in this country that can touch him for the flavors he puts together. He did a collaboration with us at Astera last year, and I learned more from that dinner than I had in years. He’s the guy to watch.

Adams Casañas and Astera Chef de Cuisine Saxon Stites | Celeste Noche

RB: Are there any other Portland chefs that are exciting you at the moment?

AAC: I’d say outside of Astera’s kitchen, the chef I am most excited about right now has to be Juan Gomez of Lilia Comedor. He’s a young guy, but has a ton of talent and experience for his age and cares so, so much. He’s at the market every week, twice a week during peak season. He’s totally uncompromising and one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met.

That being said, that’s the exact description I’d give for my chef de cuisine, Saxon Stites. He’s the hardest working man I know, and brings a ton of life and professional experience into Astera. He isn’t vegan at all, but just cares so much about the botanical cuisine we create. I can’t imagine doing this thing without him.

Editor’s Note: Stites recently departed Astera and was sent off by Adams Casañas with a lot of love.

RB: What still excites you about cooking after all these years?

AAC: Cooking is technically challenging and fun, always. Writing a dish, testing the elements, bringing it all together, it’s fantastic. At the end of the day, what excites me most is seeing the delight of guests after the first bite.

As a young cook some thirty plus years ago, I remember being charged by my chef to make my first dessert. I made a chocolate hazelnut ganache tart with rosemary caramel. When the first one was ordered in, I put it up in the window and then ran as fast I could out of the kitchen, down the hall, and peeked around the corner into the dining room to see the guest take that first bite. They took a bite, paused, and then made a yummy sound while passing a bite to their partner.

I was over the moon. I would’ve done cartwheels in the kitchen if I could have (laughs). Pure ecstasy. Pure delight. I was hooked. Seeing that joy and delight on a guest’s face is my raison d’etre.

Adams Casañas’ daughter, Vivian | Astera

RB: Is there something you’re hoping diners understand more deeply about what you’re doing at Astera?

AAC: This restaurant is built on emotion. One of my favorite dishes was called “A day with my daughter, Vivian.”

One day, when Vivian was very small, I put her on my back and went out to the restaurant’s garden and picked lovage to take to the restaurant. Afterward, I drove her to the Wednesday farmers’ market at Shemanski Park and we bought some fabulous Seascape strawberries. After the market, Vivian and I drove out to the Columbia River Gorge and drove up a narrow mountain road to a place where we foraged Sweet Woodruff.

I went back the next day and made three sorbets and ice creams—Lovage, Strawberry, and Sweet Woodruff—and served them simply as three perfect rochers on the plate. The first plate I put up at the chef counter, I openly wept in front of the guests. I was so absolutely moved by the gratitude I felt for the moment. How blessed can one be to have love in their heart?

RB: How does it feel to be Chef of the Year?

AAC: I am seriously confused about how I won this award. I felt like it’s hard to win something like this since we come from a smaller market and only serve, maybe, 40 people a night. It’s wild to me that I’d even be considered, let alone be chosen. I felt a little bashful asking people to vote for me, as it feels a little too close to bragging. That said, I can’t wait to brag to everyone that I got this really cool honor. I’m still reeling a little, to be honest. Thank you so much.