St. Petersburg’s Sushi Rock Grill has announced the hiring of Jouy (pronounced "Joy") Techo as executive sushi chef. Techo, who has more than 16 years of food industry and sushi experience, returns to the community where he started his career as a sushi-chef after eight years away learning and improving his craft under the tutelage of top sushi-chefs in the Southeast.

“We are thrilled to have Jouy come home to share his unique talents with our customers,” said Nouc Phanthavong, general manager of Sushi Rock Grill, located at 1163 Martin Luther King St. N in St. Petersburg.

Techo began his sushi training in 1997 under Daniel Sung of Kiku Restaurant in Clearwater Beach and Kinjo Sung of St Petersburg. Prior to joining Sushi Rock Grill, Techo was executive sushi-chef at Misono Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar in Alpharetta, Georgia, in 2003 and Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse in Stockbridge, Georgia from 2004 to 2007. Most recently, he was executive sushi-chef at the Eenoco Japanese Steak and Sushi on Lake Oconee in Eatonton, Georgia.  

Look for a new Sunday brunch menu and available corporate lunch meeting accommodations in 2010.