When Michael Prince was 9 years old his grandfather started teaching him how to cook on an open pit barbecue. At the age of 12, he cooked his first whole hog on a cinder block-built pit in Tifton, Georgia.
Michael has been turning out stellar barbecue since 1988. Michael is a graduate of the University of North Texas. He received his culinary training from the Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Education at Collin College
The name Tu Bones derives from Michael's late grandfather Tvester "Tusome" Prince. All of his grandfather's friends would call him "Tu or Tusome". His grandfather’s bbq place was called Tu’s Rib Shack. In remembrance of the man that meant the world to him, Michael decided to keep his grandfather's name famous by naming his BBQ company Tu Bones BBQ.