Originally from Ohio, John Somerville became known as the chef de cuisine at The Lark. He grew up in rural Ohio and early on developed an appreciate for farm fresh ingredients. He went to the University of Michigan and earned a degree in engineering before taking on a different route to the kitchen.
In 1994, he joined The Lark as a Garde Manger and eventually worked his way up as Chef de Cuisine. Recognized as one of the best chefs in the greater Detroit area, he has earned two James Beard noms for Best Chef: Great Lakes in 2008 and 2009. His favorite recipe is his spiced spring cucumbers with dill. He soon gained fame as one of the 17 chefs competing on the seventh season of Bravo’s Top Chef, but was eliminated on the first episode.