Co-Founder | Service. Leadership & Business Operations

David Sisler

Since his first job as a paperboy at age 11, David Sisler has always worked diligently, exemplifying dependability and vigilance even at that tender age. Indeed, when he was 12, he was tasked to watch over his three younger siblings while his mother worked and attended night school to better the family’s future.

It was an undertaking he took seriously, making sure that the house was always tidy, that his siblings got home from school safely, and that they were nourished with home cooked meals that he prepared from scratch with care and intention just like those he saw his grandparents make every Sunday after church for the entire family.

Rather than being burdensome, Sisler found enjoyment and satisfaction in those responsibilities. So much so, that when he started studying accounting and business management in college, he took a job as a waiter at a local New Jersey restaurant, spending whatever remained post-tuition costs on meals at other establishments to study the way they operated. He did so well as a waiter that he was promoted quickly to assistant manager, overseeing one of the area’s busiest bars at age 20, when he wasn’t even legally allowed to drink yet.

That early achievement, along with a joy discovered in working in such a convivial environment, led him to go all in on the hospitality industry. It set the stage for the notable restaurant management career to come as maître d’ at the venerable Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia, general manager at Michelin three-starred and World’s 50 Best Honoree Saison in San Francisco, and director of operations for Michelin three-starred and World’s 50 Best Honoree SingleThread Farms in Healdsburg. Along the way, he also became a certified sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers, and even spent a harvest in France, working at a chateau winery, picking and pressing grapes, and learning all facets of wine-making.

Sisler’s foray into fine dining came at The Manor, a New Jersey landmark, where he went from server to dining room captain in a year and a half, the fastest anyone had ever advanced there. After becoming general manager at The Orchards in Pennsylvania, he and the head chef worked together to elevate the restaurant, expanding the wine list and adding a tasting menu option. They also formed their own consulting company to offer expertise to other establishments.

When a colleague from The Orchards recruited him for Saison, Sisler’s quick trajectory continued, ascending from bar captain to maître d’ to general manager. He not only oversaw the dining room, but helped establish the exclusive chef’s counter. Moreover, he helped identify key talent to hire, and nurtured them to become leaders in their own right. He was part of the team when the restaurant earned its third Michelin star, a Wine Spectator Grand Award, and the World’s 50 Best “One to Watch’’ honor. Saison was also where he met his wife, Martha, when she was its social media manager and culinary liaison. 

Sisler next joined SingleThread Farms as director of operations, as the ambitious restaurant, hotel, and farm was under construction. He was involved in all aspects of design and construction, team hiring and training, and wine procurement, as well as the planning and execution of 14 months of fund-raising dinners and events. From the very start, he established an accessible learning environment there for each and every employee, ensuring a stronger, more cohesive team in the process.

After helping owners Kyle and Katina Connaughton realize their dream, Sisler knew it was time to focus on his own aspirations. Having worked his way up through every restaurant position, he acutely knows the business inside and out. With years of leadership and comprehensive expertise in management, service, and wine, he now endeavors to prepare others with the skills and tools needed to ascend to the next level of success, and in so doing, be a positive influence on the entire industry.