Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel has appointed Joshua Johnson to role of executive sous chef of the hotel. Formerly, the chef de cuisine for Kai, Arizona’s only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star Restaurant, Chef Johnson brings creativity and an enthusiasm for sustainability in the kitchen, using the freshest, local ingredients. A mindset he shares with his new culinary team.

“Chef Johnson is a great culinary talent, and we are excited to have him join us at Sheraton Downtown Phoenix Hotel and District American Kitchen and Wine Bar,” said Mike Ehmann, general manager of Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel. “He brings a depth of experience that will be beneficial for our hotel and our guests.”

As executive sous chef, Chef Johnson will work closely with Executive Chef, Chaz Frankenfield in managing all aspects of the kitchen from personnel to purchasing. He will help to oversee the date-to-day financial statistic of the culinary department. He also will be responsible for quality preparation and presentation of all menu items as well as new menu development.

Prior to joining Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, Chef Johnson served as chef de cuisine of Kai, the only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star restaurant in Arizona. Kai, located in Sheraton Wild Horse Pass & Spa, offers high-end Native American menus with global accents. There, he honed his craft to create seasonally fresh gourmet dishes using local ingredients, while marrying them to the history and culture of the Pima and Maricopa people.

“For me, the transition to Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel is a natural one,” said Chef Johnson. Both properties are within the same Sheraton brand family, but beyond that the team shares my passion for creating with fresh herbs and vegetables. I look forward to digging in with the culinarians and into the hotel’s garden.”

In addition to his eight years with Kai, Chef Johnson spent more than a decade in luxury hospitality and culinary industries. Some of his most notable positions include his role as sous chef at Nikai Restaurant in Jackson, Wyo. and The Four Seasons Resort in Jackson Hole, where he helped drive The Westbank Grill to its Four Star rating. He also spent time as chef at the Four Diamond, Jenny Lake Lodge in the Teton Mountains and the once famed Letece, a Four Star French restaurant in Las Vegas.

Originally from Wyoming, Chef Johnson moved to Oregon to attend Le Cordon Blue, and graduated with an almost perfect GPA. Today, he resides his Gilbert, Ariz. with family and is an avid outdoorsman with a passion for golfing, snowboarding and hiking.