Delta Tau Delta - Oklahoma State University

DELTA CHI NEWS PAGE 4 W hen David Skinner '87 opened his new restaurant, Ishtia, he embraced the opportunity to honor his Native American heritage through a unique culinary experience in Kemah, Texas. His work as a chef has earned him multiple award nominations, and he appreciates the Delta Tau Delta brotherhood that prepared him for responsibilities beyond college. A FRATERNAL FOUNDATION As a young man, David first learned about Delt through one of his best friends from high school. Their reputation for social activities and high academic standards was compelling, and David was glad to begin making new connections through the brotherhood at Oklahoma State. "There were so many memories," he said. "One in particular was when a pledge brother, Brian Slovak '89, built me a reservation system for my restaurant Christopher's on Washington. I think it was one of the first ever, as this would have been about 1986." David credits Delta Chi Chapter for helping him become a better person, and the structure of Shelter leadership taught him more about professional responsibilities. As the "punch master" for Delta Chi's social events, he gained a reputation for contributing to the brotherhood's vibrant social atmosphere. CAREER VENTURES After college, David worked as a commodities trader before going to work for Conoco in research and development, where he built an internal consulting group. Afterward, David began his own firm and grew it into one of the world's largest petroleum strategy firms, later selling it to his employees in 2010. David's next career move was starting an oil field service firm. He served for four years as the firm's chairman until he left the role to open his restaurant, Eculent, in 2014. Just two years later, he also became the SVP of Merit, a solar company focused on green energy. By 2018, he had successfully established Merit in the energy space and launched their controls division. This allowed David to place his full focus on the hospitality industry by founding Meticulous Spirits, accompanied by a winery and inn. INNOVATION IN THE KITCHEN David operated Eculent until April 2024. By the restaurant's 10- year anniversary, he decided to reopen as Ishtia, which gave him a new opportunity to further develop indigenous recipes. "For its last four to five years, I had been incorporating Native American dishes and flavors into the Eculent concept," he mentioned. As Ishtia's website says: "It's more than just a place to eat; it's a sanctuary of food, culture, and community." Ishtia opened to critical acclaim from national and local publications. The restaurant was named one of 14 best new restaurants in the US by Eater and has earned nominations from CultureMap's annual Tastemaker Awards for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef, and David was even named a semifinalist for Best Chef in Texas by the James Beard Foundation. A TA S T E O F T R A D I T I O N YOU CAN CONNECT WITH DAVID AT SKINNERDC@AOL.COM AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS NEW RESTAURANT AT ISHTIA.COM. David Skinner '87 on Fraternity Experiences, Native American Cuisine

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