Following the two-year program, where he graduated with honors, he worked in some of the country's most prominent hotels, including the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Club XIX at the Lodge at Pebble Beach and the Stein Ericksen Lodge.

Chef Johnathan Sundstrom took the culinary lead at Earth & Ocean Restaurant, September 1, 2000, thereby solidifying 15 years of culinary experience. His culinary aesthetic has evolved through the study and interpretation of Japanese, Latin and European cuisines. Johnathan’s current ambitions are to explore regional and American foods influenced by his French sensibility – and his vision for an ever-changing menu at Earth & Ocean. As Executive Chef for W Seattle, Johnathan is responsible for the culinary direction in Earth & Ocean, the W Bar, In-Room Dining, Banquets and Catering.

In March of 1999, John toured Japan, exploring, tasting and researching Japanese food and culture. In October and November of that year, he also went on a working tour of New York and San Francisco’s finest kitchens with renowned chefs Daniel Boulud, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Diane Forley, Gary Danko, and Traci Des Jardins. Following these inspiring and educational travels, John returned to Seattle with a renewed sense of purpose, new ideas and techniques and a greater understanding of excellence.

In Seattle, John first worked at the eclectic Raison d'être Café, where Northwest ingredients and an artist's approach to cooking were emphasized. It was at Raison d'être that John first established contacts with local farmers and foragers. In 1993, after stints at Café Sport and Campagne, John joined Dahlia Lounge, where, after one year, he was promoted to sous chef, and a year after that, to executive chef. The next four years found John working closely with owner Tom Douglas developing and refining the restaurant and its menu. Before taking the top spot at Earth & Ocean, the Myriad Restaurant Group's first Seattle restaurant, John ran the kitchen at Carmelita, one of Seattle’s more prominent vegetarian establishments.

John is an active member of Chef's Collaborative, an organization of chefs, farmers and artisans dedicated to a sustainable food supply. He has taught numerous cooking classes at venues throughout the region, including; Sur La Table, the Bon- Macy’s, Pasta and Company, Cook's World, as well as the University Farmer's Market and Seattle Tilth. John also participates in a number of fundraising events each year for the community, benefiting such organizations as FareStart, Share our Strength (Taste of the Nation), Northwest Harvest, Bailey-Boushay House, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and the March of Dimes.

Sundstrom is now slated to leave Earth & Ocean to start his own restaurant, named Lark. Lark will feature artisan producers and lots of cheese.