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    Chef

    John Sundstrom

    Discipline
    Chef

    Made By record

    Awards & recognition

    1 total

    1 winner

    Portrait of John Sundstrom

    i. Biography

    John Sundstrom is the chef/owner of Lark in Seattle, Washington. Northwest cooking is the through-line, with formal training and executive-chef posts in Seattle shaping the line between luxury kitchen discipline and a more local register.

    Coming Up

    At New England Culinary Institute, the baseline was technique. From there, John Sundstrom moved through a sequence of chef posts at Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel, Club XIX at the Lodge at Pebble Beach, and Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley, then into executive-chef roles at Dahlia Lounge (1993–1999) and Earth & Ocean at the W Hotel Seattle, WA (until 2001). Today, John Sundstrom applies that background across Lark (since 2003), Slab Sandwich, and Cora Pizza & Plates, with the work split across formats rather than confined to one room.

    Where They Are Now

    Sundstrom is chef/owner at Lark in Seattle, Washington.

    Career - chef/owner — Lark, Seattle, WA (2003–present) - chef/owner — Slab Sandwich, Seattle, WA - chef/owner — Cora Pizza & Plates, Seattle, WA - chef — Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel - chef — Club XIX at the Lodge at Pebble Beach - chef — Stein Eriksen Lodge, Deer Valley - executive chef — Dahlia Lounge (1993–1999) - executive chef — Earth & Ocean at the W Hotel Seattle, WA (until 2001) Education: New England Culinary Institute

    Signature

    Northwest cooking is the center of John Sundstrom’s work, and the notation around Lark places that approach inside a Seattle context rather than a generic regional label.

    Honors

    John's honors include James Beard Award, Best Chef: Northwest (2007), IACP prize (2014), StarChefs Rising Star Award (2003), and Food & Wine Magazine Best New Chef (2001).

    FAQ What is John Sundstrom's current role? As of 2026, John Sundstrom is Chef/Owner. Where did John Sundstrom train or study? John Sundstrom trained at New England Culinary Institute. What recognition has John Sundstrom received? James Beard Award, Best Chef: Northwest (2007).