Tyson Cole

Cole had begun 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.[2] He was attending the University of Texas Austin, with interests in painting and architecture.[3] Cole worked three and a half years at Kyoto, from 1992 to 1996.[4]

Starting in mid-1996, Cole apprenticed for six and a half years[4] under Takehiko Fuse, owner/chef of Musashino Sushi Dokoro in Austin, TX.[5] Cole also learned Japanese during this stint.[5] 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.[1][6]

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.[7]

On May 31, 2013, Cole announced the late 2014/early 2015 opening of his fourth restaurant Uchi Dallas.[7] The restaurant opened its doors on June 1, 2015.

In 2005, Food & Wine Magazine named Tyson Cole "Best New Chef," one among ten chefs to receive that award.[8]

He led a team of Uchi chefs against Chef Masaharu Morimoto on the Food Network program Iron Chef America in March 2008.[9]

In 2006, Cole won goodhealth.com's "Healthy Chef Showdown" by a hair, over chef David Bull of the Driskill Grill.[3]

In 2009, Tyson Cole was named one of Saveur's "Top 6 Texas Tastemakers." [10]

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",[11] 2009,[12] 2010.[13]

In 2011, Cole was awarded the James Beard Award for "Best Chef: Southwest.".[14]