Tyson Cole

Biography

Cole began his culinary career as a dishwasher at a Japanese restaurant named Kyoto in downtown Austin, Texas. Attrition among the restaurant's staff gave Cole the opportunity to begin making sushi. He was attending the University of Texas Austin, with interests in painting and architecture. Cole worked three and a half years at Kyoto, from 1992 to 1996.

Starting in mid-1996, Cole apprenticed for six and a half years under Takehiko Fuse, owner/chef of Musashino Sushi Dokoro in Austin, TX. Cole also learned Japanese during this stint. Cole later continued his training at the sushi restaurant Bond Street in New York City.

In May 2003, Cole opened Uchi, a 95-seat 2,600 square feet (240 m²) sushi restaurant in Austin.

On July 6, 2010, Cole opened his second restaurant, Uchiko (loosely translated meaning "offspring of Uchi") after a three-week soft opening period.

In July 2012, Cole opened his third restaurant, the second location of Uchi in Houston, Texas.

On May 31, 2013, Cole announced the late 2014/early 2015 opening of his fourth restaurant Uchi Dallas. The restaurant opened its doors on June 1, 2015.

Awards

In 2005, Food & Wine Magazine named Tyson Cole "Best New Chef", one among ten chefs to receive that award.

He led a team of Uchi chefs against Chef Masaharu Morimoto on the Food Network program Iron Chef America in March 2008.

In 2006, Cole won goodhealth.com's "Healthy Chef Showdown" by a hair, over chef David Bull of the Driskill Grill.

In 2009, Tyson Cole was named one of Saveur's "Top 6 Texas Tastemakers."

In 2008, 2009, and 2010, the James Beard Foundation named Cole as a semifinalist in the “Best Chef: Southwest” category of its "James Beard Foundation Award", 2009, 2010.

In 2011, Cole was awarded the James Beard Award for "Best Chef: Southwest.".

Awards

In 2011, Cole won the “Best Chef, Southwest” at the James Beard Foundation Awards.