⚠️ Limited seating available — RSVP early to guarantee your seat!
Decision Chef: From the Boardroom to the KitchenA conversation with David Skinner
Join the SDP Houston Chapter on February 24 for a special conversation with David Skinner — Decision Quality Professional, Professor, Author, Entrepreneur, and renowned chef.
From building world-class restaurants to leading energy strategy firms and earning recognition from the James Beard Foundation, David’s remarkable career is shaped by thoughtful, high-quality decision-making. In this session, he’ll share how Decision Quality has guided pivotal choices across his life — from the kitchen to the boardroom and back.
An Unconventional Journey
David’s path is anything but conventional. He learned the fundamentals of cooking at age seven from his grandmother “Mimi,” and by his early teens had mastered every recipe in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. While still in school, he opened his first restaurant, followed by a second acclaimed venture while studying Finance and Economics at Oklahoma State University.
From Boardroom to Kitchen — and Back Again
Drawn by new challenges, David pivoted into commodity trading and energy strategy, where he built one of the world’s largest energy strategy consulting firms, authored best-selling books on decision-making, and served as an Adjunct Professor at Rice University.
After years in the boardroom, David returned to the kitchen — opening eculent, launching a winery and distillery, and earning national culinary recognition as a 2025 James Beard Foundation “Best Chef Texas” semi-finalist.
What to Expect
In this rare conversation, David will reflect on how Decision Quality guided the decisions behind his extraordinary journey — offering practical insights, personal stories, and inspiration for anyone navigating complex decisions.
Special Note🍸 Cocktails will be available at a cash bar, followed by a winery and distillery tour immediately after the meeting.