John Bishop's love for cooking began when he was a child growing up in Newton Powys, Wales. Starting out by helping in his mother's kitchen to eventually as a young man learning the formal requirements of traditional French food preparation at a hotel school. After working as a chef in Great Britain, Bishop moved to Vancouver in 1973. At the urging of friends and investors during the recession of 1985, John opened Bishop's. Since then, Bishop's has consistently been one of the city's top restaurants. Annually the restaurant receives top grades from local as well as all the respected North American guides.

Bishop has authored four cookbooks with Douglas & McIntyre: Bishop's, Cooking at My House, Fresh and Simply Bishop's.