Inside Pitmaster Michael Prince’s Journey Fueled by Family and Flavor
By Ashli Urano
Chef Michael Prince has made a name for himself as the founder and pitmaster of Tu Bones BBQ. Prince’s love for cooking is deeply rooted in his family history, with his grandfather playing a pivotal role in shaping his culinary journey. Through his barbecue, Prince has not only built a successful business but also created a tribute to his grandfather’s influence and the cherished memories they shared.
Born and raised in Tifton, Georgia, Prince’s passion for cooking was ignited by his grandfather, Tvester “Tusome” Prince. Standing at an impressive 6 feet 5 inches tall, Tusome was a towering figure in both stature and influence. “My grandfather built a shack in his backyard called Tu’s Rib Shack,” Prince recalled. “He was my hero back in the day and still is. I didn’t want to go play with the other kids. I just wanted to hang out with my granddad because he was cooking. He would always call me ‘Sport.’”
When Prince was 12 years old, he cooked his first whole hog under Tusome’s guidance. “I will never forget it,” Prince said. “I couldn’t flip the hog. I could grab one leg but not flip it over. My granddad would always tell me, ‘Once you get big enough, you’ll be able to flip it yourself.’ He taught me a lot of what I apply today, not just how to barbecue, but how to live my life.”
As he grew older, Prince continued to develop his cooking and barbecuing skills by spending time with both of his grandparents. If he wasn’t in the backyard shack with his grandfather, he was in the kitchen helping his grandmother. Cooking and sharing meals was a cherished family tradition, and the kitchen was always the heart of their home.
After high school, Prince served eight years in the Army, including a deployment during Desert Storm. As a human intelligence collector (35M), he specialized in interrogations and intelligence gathering. In 1998, after completing his military service at Fort Benning in Georgia, Prince moved to Texas to start a new chapter in his life. It was there that he began pursuing his dream of being a comedian.
“After I got out of the military and moved to Frisco, I became a stand-up comic. It’s something I still do,” Prince said with a laugh. “I’ve performed on HBO’s Comic View, Comedy Central, Showtime, and BET’s Def Comedy Jam. Even now, many of my comedy friends ask, ‘How did you reinvent yourself?’ I wanted to be on stage every single day. During the day, I was an IT manager, but at night, it was like I was Batman.”
From 2010 to 2014, Prince participated in barbecue competitions, showcasing his skills and gaining recognition in the culinary world. In 2013, driven by his success in competitions, Prince founded Tu Bones BBQ. What began as a hobby, serving from tents at festivals, soon became more serious.
Prince’s success on the Lone Star Circuit and International Barbeque Cookers Association led him to enter his barbecue sauce in the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, the world’s largest barbecue competition in Kansas City. “When we went to Kansas City, we definitely didn’t think we would win,” Prince recalled, noting the fierce competition from about 225 teams. “I entered my barbecue sauce into the contest, and it won first place! I couldn’t believe it!”
Prince appeared on the Food Network, winning the BBQ Rig Race in 2017. Despite opportunities to appear on other shows like Guy’s Grocery Games, Tailgate Takedown, and Chopped, Prince decided to forge his own path. “I had to take a stand for myself. I didn’t want to become a regular on competition shows,” he explained. “I believe I’m a good enough chef to hold my own – on my own show.”
In 2017, Prince decided to go to culinary school and enrolled at Collin College’s Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Education. “I knew I could cook, but I didn’t know how well. I kept thinking I needed to cook better than this,” he said. “After I graduated, that’s when we really honed in on, ‘Let’s do this for real!’”
Prince further refined his culinary skills through an internship at Gates BBQ in Kansas City. During his time there, Prince left a lasting impression. “I remember Ollie Gates vividly telling me, ‘You are the first person that has taught me something,’” Prince shared. “It’s gratifying to know that people recognize what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, and how passionate you are about it. For me, cooking is my passion.”
Armed with newfound knowledge and skills, Prince upgraded Tu Bones BBQ from a tent to a 24-foot-long trailer. In addition to selling from a food truck, he and his team began catering. During this time in 2020, he went to the Frisco Fresh Market, located at 9215 John W. Elliott Dr., to buy some vegetables. It was at that moment he decided to set up his own booth at the market. He has been there ever since.
“I thought I would only be at Frisco Fresh Market for a couple of weeks,” he explained. “I started cooking barbecue and making my sauce. Everybody started to really like it, then people started to actually love it. Before long, we had a little following.”
As Tu Bones BBQ’s popularity continued to grow, Prince worked to create a menu that would showcase his many talents. “One of our best-selling dishes is a stuffed shrimp Alfredo turkey leg,” he explained. “We take a turkey leg and cook it until it’s tender. We open the turkey leg, then use a special pasta, Alfredo, shrimp, and a little bit of parsley. I eat it every weekend. It’s about two and a half to three pounds and can feed two people.”
One of Tu Bones BBQ’s most sought-after dessert items is the Southern peach cobbler, available only on the first Saturday and Sunday of each month. “Those who know about it, know about it, and those who are late have to wait until next month,” Prince laughed. “It’s a Southern peach cobbler all made from scratch. We top it with peach schnapps whipped cream. Everyone who has had our peach cobbler talks about the smoked flavor, since we smoke it on the smoker and not in the oven.”
Tu Bones BBQ offers four unique barbecue sauces that include X29, a house sauce based on Prince’s grandfather’s recipe; X31, a fiery hot sauce; X22, a tangy mustard-based sauce; and X6, a creamy white sauce. Prince is currently working with one of his mentors, who has her ice cream sold in Walmart, Kroger, and other stores, to get his sauces on store shelves as well.
As Michael Prince reflects on his journey, he remains grateful for the invaluable lessons his grandfather taught him and the cherished family recipe that has become the cornerstone of Tu Bones BBQ’s success. He has carried on his grandfather’s legacy, ensuring that the flavors and traditions of his family’s barbecue will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come. Prince shared, “Barbecue has always been in my blood. It is something I wanted to do professionally. I always wanted to be like my granddad.”
Ashli Urano is a freelance writer obsessed with competitive tennis, true crime, and her Golden-doodle named Sadie Kirenia.
