It sounds like a classic Hollywood movie plot. Young guy gets laid off from a job, girlfriend gives him an ultimatum: get a job or get out. He takes a dishwashing gig at a local Austin Japanese restaurant, but is disgusted by the food. He gets promoted to head waiter, still managing to avoid eating there. But as all good scripts go, he slowly becomes intrigued by the sushi making process, the culture and eventually, the cuisine.

The rest, as the cliché goes... is history. Tyson Cole went on to train for more than a decade under sushi masters in Japan, New York, and Austin. Aside from studying technique, Cole also learned to speak Japanese. In 2005, he garnered the coveted Best New Chef honor from Food and Wine magazine.

Chef Cole infuses his traditional Japanese technique with global flavors and this summer, he will open his second restaurant Uchiko.

Q. Tell us about Uchi and your new restaurant Uchiko.

Uchiko is the child of Uchi. Most of the entirely new menu is made up of dishes we've created at Uchi over the last 7 years, with some new changes and unexpected presentations. It's Uchi food in every way, but in a brand new space and more spacious kitchen for us to play! Paul Qui, the chef de cuisine of Uchi, will be the Executive Chef of Uchiko, and his food that he's learned and evolved at Uchi is going to be at the forefront of the Uchiko menu with influences from all over southeast Asia.

Q. What dishes on your menus exemplify the philosophy of your restaurants and your personal style of cuisine?

A. What truly exemplifies "Uchi" style-cuisine is a balanced combination of acid, sweet, savory, spice and textural components.

Any of the items on our tasting menus, specifically, the Maguro Sashimi with Fuji Apples, Texas goat cheese and pumpkin seed oil; or the Applewood Smoked Kanpachi with yucca crisps, Korean pear, Marcona almonds, white soy and gold raisin.

Q. What was it about Japanese food that seduced you enough to pursue it as a career and learn the language?

A. It wasn't the food, it was the people. I was taken by the amount of respect they had for each other. It was a new light, and I wanted to bathe in it. The love for the food and sushi came soon there after.

Q. What has been the biggest challenge for you as an American working as a sushi chef?

A. Breaking through. It took desire, focus, patience and stamina. I just wanted to be accepted in what I was doing. I guess it was the perfectionist Virgo side of me that took over. I just can't stand it when someone tells me no, or I can't make things like I think they'll be best. Control freak!

Q. How much does sustainability play into your menu choices?

A. A ton. We try as hard as we can to make everything we serve sustainable. Sometimes though, it's hard because of cost. We don't have the freedom to pass on that cost to our customers like they do in Vegas. The same reason you don't meet many people on welfare that only eat organic.

Q. Do you infuse a lot of Texas tastes into your dishes, and can you share some combinations that exemplify that?

A. Texas tastes? Hmmm... maybe the use of local produce, and smoking a thing or two. Texas taste to me is Tex/Mex and BBQ. I guess our Uchiviche is kinda Mexican ceviche inspired.

Q. Any combos that just didn't work out?

A. I had the idea after eating strawberries with black pepper in 2004 to make a black pepper sorbet with strawberries. It was a huge hit, so after that I wanted to make a "salt" sorbet. We served it with ripe cantaloupe. The melon didn't help! It was terrible.

A. I love ice cold junmai daiginjo sake with raw giant prawns and urchin.

People/chefs should pay just as much attention to the temperature of what they serve as wine people do to their glass wear.

Q. Is there a knife that you love using and could recommend?

A. Inox or Nenox brands. I love my Nenox Yo-Deba because of its versatility. Japanese knives are crafted by masters and are godlike. I've sharpened them for 15 years, and I'm still learning.

Q. What are some ingredients or products that you've recently discovered that you're excited to use on your menu?

A. - Skyr yogurt from Iceland

- Tonka beans

- Blue fish

- Harissa

- Coconut milk

- Kikurage.

Q. Can we get you to share some key tips for eating sushi so we can avoid embarrassing ourselves? Insider do's and don'ts?

A. - Only fill soy dish a bit. Just enough so dish will be empty when you are done. Never waste anything.

- Eat all sushi with your hands in one bite.

- Don’t mix wasabi into soy - it's amateur.

- Pickled ginger is to cleanse your palette, not to put on the fish.

- Order sushi in small increments; it stays fresher that way.

- If possible, always sit at the sushi bar. The chefs always have a "stash" reserved for the customers in front of them... I always did!

Q. Favorite food-related gift you've ever given? Gotten?

A. My chefs/cook bought me a Masamoto Sujihiki for my birthday after we opened Uchi in 03, (and then a PS3 when I got married!).

Q. For a visitor to Austin, what are local dishes someone should try and where should they eat them?

A.- Banh Mi at Tam's Deli.

- Artichoke dip at Bartlett’s.

- Fried olives at Fino.

- White pizza at Asti Trattoria.

- Croissants at La Boite.

- Tom-Yum at Titaya’s.

- Peking duck at Dinho.

- Pho at Sunflower.

- Nigiri at Tomodachi.

Q. Are there food markets around the world that you love?

A. The fish market in Seattle (Pike Place), and Tsukiji Market in Tokyo. The chaos and energy are seductive.

Q. Restaurants you recommend that won't break the bank, but have killer food?

A. East Side King - this is my chef de cuisine's place, it's a trailer, and his food is the best wherever it's served.

Q. Off-the-beaten track places to eat, that you'd be excited to take an

adventurous eater?

A. Tokyo - one night there I ate live eels, live octopus, live aji, and horse sashimi.

Shiro's sushi resto in Seattle is off-the-hook adventurous and delicious. Live uni right out of the shell, and prawns straight out of a live tank were the sweetest thing I've ever tasted. Incredible!

Q. Places for late night?

A. We have 3 young daughters. Late night is midnight, and it's straight to the Haagen Dazs.

Q. Cocktails?

A. Bill Norris at Fino is unreal.

Q. Who else in your field is doing things you think deserve more praise?

A. Curtis Duffy at Avenues in Chicago. His food is stunningly unique and

delicious.

Q. What other sushi restaurants (anywhere) should be on a sushi lover's list?

A. - Tojo's in Vancouver.

- Shiro's in Seattle.

- Urasawa in LA.

- Mirai in Chicago.

- Soto in NYC.

- Uchi in Austin,Tx. ;0)

Q. Favorite restaurants in Tokyo, New York?

A. Tokyo all over.

In New York City, I like Soto, Balthazar, Mas and Casa Mono.

Recommendations

Details of Tyson Cole’s recommendations on where to eat in Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York.

Recipes

- Ao Saba

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