Soul Fueled, Fire Fed: Yia Vang’s Love Letter to His Parents That Lit Up the Global Stage
- Jamie NP
- Apr 6
- 2 min read
Yia Vang is the award-winning Chef and Owner at Vinai and Union Hmong Kitchen in Minneapolis, MN. Vang has been featured in The New York Times, National Geographic, and Bon Appétit, as well as showcased on PBS, CNN, Food Network’s “Iron Chef” and currently hosts Twin Cities Television (PBS) Emmy Award-winning show “Relish.” Most recently, Vinai was featured on The New York Times’s 2024 50 Best Restaurant List, Eater’s 2024 Best New Restaurants in America, Esquire’s 2024 Best New Restaurants in America with Vang being recognized as Chef of the Year. In 2025, Vinai was also named a James Beard Foundation Award Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant and was featured on TIME’s list of The World’s Greatest Places 2025. Vang can also be found on his show with Food Network digital “Stoked” and as the host of the Outdoor Channel show “Feral.” His podcast, “Hmonglish,” touches on the convergence of Hmong Culture with Western ideology.
Born in a refugee settlement in Thailand of the same name as the restaurant, Vinai, Chef and Owner Yia Vang and his family resettled in central Wisconsin during his youth. As a child and through adulthood, Vang was inspired by his parents’ ability to take care of him and his seven siblings through food. He remembers watching his dad cook and grill over a live fire and his mother using her creativity to bring the family together over shared meals. These memories inspired the concept behind the restaurant, which stands as a love letter to Vang’s parents and honors the past, present, and future of Hmong cooking.
Vang got his start in the food industry as a dishwasher before working his way through the ranks across various top restaurants in the Twin Cities. In 2016, Vang ventured off to start Union Hmong Kitchen, a restaurant that features Hmong culture, stories, rituals, foods, and flavors that quickly became a community staple in the Minnesota dining scene and an essential component of Vang’s journey to opening Vinai.
In July 2024, Vang opened Vinai in Northeast Minneapolis, a neighborhood where many immigrants and refugee families historically settled. Vang spearheads the kitchen at the restaurant and crafts a menu that features classic Hmong dishes that entice people to grab a seat at the table and open their minds to new experiences. Vang believes every dish has a narrative, and his creations and the continuation of classic dishes from his childhood and Hmong culture serve as his canvas to tell those stories.
🔗 https://www.instagram.com/yiavang70/🔗 https://www.vinaimn.com/🔗 https://www.instagram.com/vinaimn/
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The content discussed on "Intentional Conversations with Jamie J NP" is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical, mental health, or legal advice. As a family and psychiatric nurse practitioner, I encourage you to seek personalized guidance from your own healthcare provider or trusted professional. The opinions shared by myself and my guests are our own and do not necessarily represent the views of Intentional Wellness Solutions or any affiliated organizations. Listener discretion is advised as sensitive topics may be discussed.
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