John Schafer

Growing up on a ranch in the high plains of Colorado instilled in John an awe for the natural world. John learned the hospitality business at an early age and translated these lessons to a fascination with food and service. In 2009, upon graduating from culinary school in Hyde Park, John found himself at Alinea restaurant in Chicago. He had nearly a decade to grow with the Alinea group as a sommelier, wine director, general manager, and assistant director of operations. Missing the blue skies of his youth, John and his partner Carin, along with their food fascinated dog Yuki, began looking for a place that felt like home. They found exactly that in the amazing community that Katina, Kyle, and Tony foster so earnestly in Healdsburg. John’s role allows him to leverage his extensive experience in service and operations over the years, as well as his time overseeing development for some of SingleThread's new projects since joining the group in 2020.