Sushi on the Rock now rocking custom style

Now featuring a unique grab-and-go concept, Sushi on the Rock beat the Pandemic like a succulent slice of salmon sashimi, turning adversity into a new, delicious affordable upscale home dining experience.

Celeste and Bob Johnson, exclusive sushi caterers to Major League Baseball (MLB) players and clubhouses, along with daughter Amber now taking a significant hands-on role, were known for decades for their La Jolla and 4S Ranch-based family-priced high-end sushi restaurants.

“Sushi on the Rock is back,” Celeste Johnson said. “We’ve had restaurants from La Jolla to 4S Ranch for 25 years along with our catering moving to Rancho Bernardo when COVID and California curtailed local dining.”

“We have catered for the MLB, NHL and NBA,” Johnson continued. “We have a long list of celebrities, athletes and businesses that indulge in the amazing food, presentation and outstanding service. We are thrilled to be sharing a beautiful state of the art culinary kitchen to bring the Sushi on the Rock experience through take out and delivery.”

The rock star sushi’s renowned chefs and staff provided a personalized, stylishly twist to the traditional sushi joint menu as the Rancho Santa Fe and Carmel Valley family fed neighbors who quickly became extended family and friends.

Friends included a wide and impressive array of local MLB stars including Trevor Hoffman, Brian and Marcus Giles, Mark Kotsay, James Shields, David Wells and these days Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. In fact, Hoffman, Giles and company got the Johnson sushi into the Padres clubhouse. It proved so popular that visiting teams also requested the catered experience with the Patterson eventually securing catering deals to MLB clubhouses throughout California.

Alas for us all, COVID came calling in March 2020. The Johnsons had to curtail on-site dining at 4S Ranch and look for the next great dining model to continue their passion for serving the people amazing food.

Being resourceful, as well as personable, The Johnson family came up with a new plan. They partnered with a large-scale Rancho Bernardo wholesale kitchen facility to create an in-person, warehouse storefront take-out experience as they beefed up their home, and event, catering operations.

This direct kitchen to consumer concept has proven deliciously successful for proprietor and sushi dining fans alike. Traffic has been steady, but now is rising to such an extent that even the sky, to turn a phrase, is not the limit.

That’s why Sushi on the Rock, along with its catering, and events, arm, Olive & Spice, is expanding its community consciousness, letting residents from the I-5 Corridor to the Del Mar beaches, and throughout North County to the great beyond know that convenient sushi takeout and delivery is widely available, affordable and fun.

Here are the deets. Pick up in Rancho Bernardo is at 11035 Technology Place, Suite 600. Fine food aficionados can pick up the right stuff at the kitchen storefront from 4.30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, dark on Monday. Contact the sushi masters by phone at (858) 451-4712 or visit on the World Wide Web at https://www.sushiontherock.com.

Curbside pickup and non-contact delivery is available although word of mouth touting the friendly, interesting kitchen adjacent experience has led many customers into the facility to interact with staff and family as they take out their affordable feast. For those who ant to go app, food may also be delivered through  seamless.com, postmates.com, grubhub.com, doordash.com, and ubereats.com.

Executive Chef Robert Cassady/Sushi on the Rock

However you get it, wherever it goes, local executive celebrity chef Robert Cassidy — you know, him, you love his food — is large and in charge of a longtime professional staff of chefs and servers catering to the highest form of clean, quality classics like Bento Boxes,Maki Rolls and an amazing selection of over 30 types of sushi dinners along with Nigiri, Sashimi and and Specialty Sashimi.

Classics remain the same while Cassidy and company continue to evolve new and exciting variations and innovations in dining. Check out the menu at the Sushi on the Rock Sushi website PDF here: https://bit.ly/3zfqGT4.

Cassidy, grew up in the greater Los Angeles area, he moved to San Diego to pursue a career in Firefighting but soon realized while working as a Sushi Chef apprentice, he discovered his passion for Asian cuisine. Since 2001, Chef Rob has been dedicated to SOTR with honest passion, and innovative techniques. His culinary flair continues to impress delivering unique dishes and creating a variety of sauces that are unparalleled. 

“Being behind the sushi bar for 20 years has been an incredible journey,” Cassidy said. “I have had the opportunity to learn, grow, train, mentor and most of all have met some of the most amazing people who have become family to SOTR.

Chef Cassidy added: “During the last year the challenges we have all faced is unfortunate, this shift is a new chapter and I am looking forward to putting all of my focus in the kitchen and being able to continue to create a new platform for this industry.”

Planning an event or a special occasion? The affiliated Olive & Spice brings the Sushi on the Rock expertise to home, office, or event space, giving lovers of fine sushi the freedom to enjoy top-quality meals without effort. Drop-Offs are guaranteed by the Johnson family and fellow travelers to take those thirsty tastebuds on an epicurean journey that will never be forgotten.

Serve the future of sushi to guests who truly deserve the very best, according to the Johnsons. As MLB players and clubhouse spreads, as well as friends and affordable upscale diners from Rancho Bernardo to Carlsbad have discovered, it’s not a long journey from the Sushi on the Rock executive custom kitchen to home palates and delight.