Yia Vang

Vang was born in Ban Vinai refugee camp in Thailand after his family had fled Laos at the end of the Vietnamese War after the fall of Saigon.{{Cite web |last=Ross |first=Theodore |date=2022-04-25 |title=In Pursuit of Chicken Rice |url=https://www.guernicamag.com/in-pursuit-of-chicken-rice/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Guernica |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Kate |date=2022-06-09 |title=The Chef Who is Telling the Story of the Hmong People, One Dish at a Time |url=https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a40240652/yia-vang-vinai-hmong-chef-minneapolis-restaurant-profile/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Esquire |language=en-us}} His father, Nhia Lor Vang, and mother, Pang Her, both widowed during the crossing of the Mekong, met at the camp in 1977 and married in 1978.{{Cite web |last=Halpern |first=Ashlea |date=2020-04-22 |title=Yia Vang Made Some of the Best Food We Ate All Year. So Why Is He So Afraid of Failing? |url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/yia-vang-hmong-cuisine |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Bon Appétit |language=en-US}} Vang was born in 1984.

In 1987, when he was four, his family immigrated to the United States, first to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and then in 1997 to Port Edwards, Wisconsin. While growing up, he learned butchering when his family would buy whole animals.{{Cite web |last=Uhlig |first=Keith |title=Central Wisconsin native Yia Vang's trendy Union Hmong Kitchen lives up to all the hype |url=https://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/story/life/2022/09/14/yia-vangs-union-hmong-kitchen-twin-cities-lives-up-all-hype/8025367001/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Daily Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Garland |first=John |date=2018-03-23 |title=The Very Visible Yia Vang |url=https://growlermag.com/minnesota-spoon-the-very-visible-yia-vang/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Growler Magazine |language=en-US}} He graduated in 2010 from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a degree in Interpersonal Communications and minor in PR and Marketing.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-21 |title=From dishwasher to ‘Iron Chef’ |url=https://www.wisconsin.edu/all-in-wisconsin/story/from-dishwasher-to-iron-chef/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=All In Wisconsin |language=en-US}}

He started his kitchen career early as a dishwasher at [https://www.ridgesgolfcourse.com Ridges Golf Course] and cooked at [https://www.gssraces.com Golden Sands Speedway]. After College Vang moved to the Minneapolis area and worked at Gavin Kaysen’s Spoon and Stable and other restaurants, as a cook. He noticed that while the Twin Cities area has the largest Hmong population{{Cite web |title=Hmong population - Cultural communities - Minnesota Compass |url=https://www.mncompass.org/topics/demographics/cultural-communities/hmong |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=www.mncompass.org |language=en}} outside of Southeast Asia, it didn't have a restaurant dedicated to Hmong cuisine.

Featured on the cover of Bon Appetit (May 2020) for his restaurant (Union Hmong Kitchen) and unique perspective on Hmong food,{{Cite web |date=2020-04-22 |title=Yia Vang Made Some of the Best Food We Ate All Year. So Why Is He So Afraid of Failing? |url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/yia-vang-hmong-cuisine |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Bon Appétit |language=en-US}} Vang was able to get national attention from the food media world. Recognition started with his first national feature on W. Kamau Bell Emmy Award winning show United Shades of America in 2019{{Cite web |last=Tribune |first=Sharyn Jackson Star |title=CNN show 'United Shades of America' goes inside the home of Minnesota's rising star Hmong chef |url=https://www.startribune.com/cnn-show-united-shades-of-america-goes-inside-the-home-of-minnesota-s-rising-star-hmong-chef/509691132/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Star Tribune}} and then getting his first feature on the Food Network digital series "Stoked".{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/stoked |title=Stoked |language=en |access-date=2024-04-30 |via=www.foodnetwork.com}} In June 2022, he appeared on Iron Chef and in November 2022, he started hosting Feral, a show that explores the culinary use of invasive species such as wild boar, python and lion fish on the Outdoor Channel.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-03 |title=From Yia Vang to Ann Kim, Twin Cities chefs shine on national TV |url=https://www.twincities.com/2022/11/03/from-yia-vang-to-ann-kim-twin-cities-chefs-shine-on-national-tv/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Twin Cities |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Claeson |first=Hanna |date=2022-10-31 |title=Yia Vang Takes Us Back To His Hmong Roots With Feral |url=https://www.mashed.com/1078632/yia-vang-takes-us-back-to-his-hmong-roots-with-feral-exclusive-interview/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Mashed |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Sharyn |date=25 November 2022 |title=Chef Yia Vang takes on television hosting — and snakes — in his latest adventure |url=https://www.startribune.com/chef-yia-vang-takes-on-television-hosting-and-snakes-in-his-latest-adventure/600229734/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Star Tribune}}{{Citation |title=Union Hmong Kitchen chef debuts new show, "Feral" |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/video/union-hmong-kitchen-chef-debuts-new-show-feral/ |language=en-US |access-date=2023-01-22}} He has been featured on national press segments on "Good Morning America"{{Cite web |last=America |first=Good Morning |title=Chef Yia Vang's pork katsu sando with honey slaw |url=https://goodmorningamerica.com/food/story/chef-yia-vangs-pork-katsu-sando-honey-slaw-105565632 |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Good Morning America |language=en}} and featured on the nationally acclaimed hunting podcast "MeatEater".{{Cite web |title=MeatEater {{!}} Your link to the food chain |url=https://www.themeateater.com/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=www.themeateater.com |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=Rinella |first=Steven |title=Ep. 480: Going Feral with the Hmong {{!}} MeatEater Podcasts |url=https://www.themeateater.com/listen/meateater/ep-480-going-feral-with-the-hmong |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=www.themeateater.com |language=en-us}} He also started a podcast called [https://open.spotify.com/show/0dyVguZRtDQfizLiTa4HAx Hmonglish] with journalist Gia Vang about Hmong culture in America and another called White on Rice.{{cite web |title=White On Rice Is One of Minnesota’s Best Podcasts |url=https://minnevangelist.com/white-on-rice-podcast/ |website=Minnevangelist}}{{Cite web |date=2022-06-15 |title=Gia Vang and Yia Vang on 'Hmonglish,' Iron Chef and leaving KARE 11 |url=https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2022/06/15/gia-vang-and-yia-vang-on-hmonglish-iron-chef-and-leaving-kare-11 |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=MPR News |language=en}} He has also served as the host for the Twin Cities Public Television (PBS) series [https://www.tpt.org/relish/ Relish].{{Cite news |title=Relish Season 1 |language=en-US |work=TPT Originals |url=https://www.tptoriginals.org/series/relish/season/relish-season-1/ |access-date=2023-11-21}} In 2024, the newest season of Twin Cities Public Television Relish will be featuring Season 5.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-26 |title=Feast Your Senses on a New Streaming Season of Relish |url=https://www.tpt.org/post/feast-senses-new-streaming-season-relish/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Twin Cities PBS |language=en}} Along with his hosting duties and guest appearances on television shows, Vang also is requested as a keynote speaker for companies such as Target Corporation, 3M, U.S. Bancorp, General Mills and many other Fortune Global 500 companies on the topic of Hmong food and culture.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

Beginning in 2016, Vang opened an estimated 100 popups that he called Union Hmong Kitchen with menus including his father's Hmong sausage recipe and his mother's hot sauce recipe. He initially tried to cater to midwestern tastes but eventually decided it was disrespectful to Hmong food and decided to focus on traditional Hmong flavors and techniques.{{Cite web |title=Chef says people who ask for vegan version of his dishes have 'food privilege' {{!}} indy100 |url=https://www.indy100.com/news/chef-vegan-dishes-food-privilege |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=www.indy100.com |language=en}}

Vang's first permanent brick-and-mortar space is Union Hmong Kitchen. The restaurant is located in Graze Provisions and Libations, a food hall in Minneapolis' North Loop neighborhood, which opened in October 2021.{{cite web |title=Union Hmong Kitchen to open in North Loop food hall |url=https://www.twincities.com/2021/10/27/union-hmong-kitchen-minneapolis-north-loop-food-hall/ |website=Pioneer Press}}{{cite web |title=Union Hmong Kitchen |url=https://www.grazenorthloop.com/union-hmong-kitchen/ |website=Graze North Loop}}

Vang also ran a series of pop ups in a space on Lake Street in Minneapolis through 2023 before reopening the space as the second location of Union Hmong Kitchen.{{Cite web |last=Longworth |first=Nick |date=2023-07-18 |title=Union Hmong Kitchen opens Lake Street location, Chef Yia Vang continues vision expansion |url=https://www.fox9.com/news/union-hmong-kitchen-lake-street-opens-chef-yia-vang-expanding-on-his-vision |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=FOX 9 |language=en-US}}

in the fall of 2024 Union Hmong Kitchen was featured on Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives with host Guy Fieri.{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Sharyn |date=2024-11-01 |title=Twin Cities restaurants to appear on Guy Fieri's 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' |url=https://www.startribune.com/diners-drive-ins-dives-food-network-guy-fieri-minneapolis-restaurant/601162454 |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=www.startribune.com |language=en}}

Notable accolades:

2022 James Beard Award Semifinalist "Best New Restaurant" {{Cite web |title=The 2022 James Beard Award Semifinalists {{!}} James Beard Foundation |url=https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2022-james-beard-award-semfinalists |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=www.jamesbeard.org |language=en}}

In August 2022, Union Hmong Kitchen became the first Hmong food vendor in the Minnesota State Fair located in the International Bazaar.{{Cite web |last=Rodgers |first=Niles |date=2022-10-07 |title=Union Hmong Kitchen Makes Its Inaugural Appearance at the Minnesota State Fair |url=https://asiamattersforamerica.org/articles/union-hmong-kitchen-makes-its-inaugural-appearance-at-the-minnesota-state-fair |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Asia Matters for America |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Mohs |first1=Marielle |title=How Union Hmong Kitchen is prepping for the Minnesota State Fair |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/how-union-hmong-kitchen-is-prepping-minnesota-state-fair/ |website=CBS News}} It has continued at the fair each year since. In 2023, it received the "Best Award" from the state fair.{{Cite web |date=2018-06-01 |title=Best Awards |url=https://www.mnstatefair.org/competitions/best-awards/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Minnesota State Fair |language=en}} That year, Vang's mother led a crew of family and friends in making 18,500 galabaos for the fair. Galabaos are steamed buns with a pork and noodle mix and a hard boiled egg.{{Cite web |last=Mohs |first=Marielle |date=2023-07-16 |title=How Union Hmong Kitchen is prepping for the Minnesota State Fair - CBS Minnesota |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/how-union-hmong-kitchen-is-prepping-minnesota-state-fair/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} The dish was so popular at the state fair that they had to make more.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Kyle |date=2023-09-01 |title=Galabao are a State Fair smash hit — now this chef's mom is helping make 7,000 more |url=https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/union-hmong-kitchen-galabao-minnesota-state-fair/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News |language=en-US}}

{{Further|Vinai (restaurant)}}

In 2020, Vang started a crowdfunding campaign to fund the opening of Vinai,{{Cite web |title=Vinai |url=https://www.vinaimn.com/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Vinai |language=en-US}} a new higher-end restaurant. The COVID-19 pandemic slowed the development. Vang states that his goal is not to elevate Hmong food, but rather to illuminate Hmong food.

Vinai is named after the refugee camp in which he was born. Esquire called the restaurant one of the first dedicated Hmong restaurants in the United States.{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Brianna |date=20 December 2022 |title=Chef Yia Vang's Union Hmong Kitchen to launch noodle pop-up in Lyn-Lake |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2022/12/20/yia-vang-union-hmong-kitchen-slurp-noodle-pop-up.html |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=bizjournals.com}} Vinai opened on July 30, 2024, in Northeast, Minneapolis, in the space previously occupied by Dangerous Man Brewing Company.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-11 |title=Chef Yia Vang announces new restaurant Vinai will open next spring in Minneapolis |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/09/11/chef-yia-vang-new-restaurant-vinai-minneapolis-union-homng-kitchen |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=MPR News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Goffaux |first=Elza |date=2024-07-31 |title=Chef Yia Vang’s Vinai restaurant opens in northeast Minneapolis |url=https://sahanjournal.com/business-work/yia-vang-vinai-minneapolis-hmong-restaurant/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Sahan Journal |language=en-US}} Vang calls the restaurant a love letter to his parents, who met in the refugee camp where he was later born. Vinai gained many national and local accolades in the first 6 months that they've been open.

Recently (March, 2025) Vinai was named one of the top 100 best places to visit in the world by TIME. {{Cite web |date=2025-03-13 |title=Vinai: World's Greatest Places 2025 |url=https://time.com/collections/worlds-greatest-places-2025/7263151/vinai/ |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=TIME |language=en}}

2024 The New York Times "America's Best 50 Restaurant" {{Cite news |date=2024-09-24 |title=The Restaurant List 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/dining/best-restaurants-america.html |access-date=2025-01-02 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

2024 "Best New Restaurant in America" Eater{{Cite web |author=Eater Staff |date=2024-11-12 |title=These Are the 14 Best New Restaurants in America |url=https://www.eater.com/24282771/best-new-restaurants-america-2024 |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Eater |language=en}}

2024 "Best New Restaurant" [https://twincities.eater.com/ Twin Cities Eater] {{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Justine |date=2024-12-03 |title=Introducing the 2024 Eater Twin Cities Award Winners |url=https://twincities.eater.com/2024/12/3/24299782/eater-awards-winners-twin-cities-minneapolis-st-paul-2024-restaurants |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Eater Twin Cities |language=en}}

2024 Esquire "Best New Restaurant in America" and "Best Chef" {{Cite web |date=2024-12-03 |title=The Best New Restaurants in America, 2024 |url=https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a62875489/best-new-restaurants-america-2024/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Esquire |language=en-US}}

2024 MN Star Tribune "Restaurant of the Year" {{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=Jon |date=2024-12-15 |title=The Star Tribune’s 2024 Restaurants of the Year reflect an incredible year of dining |url=https://www.startribune.com/restaurant-of-the-year-2024-bucheron-dianes-place-vinai/601195140 |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=www.startribune.com |language=en}}

2024 [https://artfulliving.com/ Artful Living] "Best New Restaurant" {{Cite web |last=Living |first=Artful |date=2024-12-19 |title=The Best New Twin Cities Restaurants of 2024 |url=https://artfulliving.com/best-new-restaurants-twin-cities-minneapolis-st-paul-2024/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Artful Living Magazine |language=en-US}}

2024 [https://mspmag.com/ MSP Mag] "Restaurant of the Year" {{Cite web |last=Grumdahl |first=Dara Moskowitz |date=2024-12-31 |title=Restaurant(s) of the Year 2024 |url=https://mspmag.com/eat-and-drink/foodie/restaurants-of-the-year-2024/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1ALQEfGJoEjmoj0BDCH79Ah1x52xawsYPfn2CagA1vziJeKAG7yy82O2I_aem_vCpvT8oBkQFiQw8Q103MJQ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Mpls.St.Paul Magazine |language=en-us}}

2025 James Beard Foundation "Best New Restaurant" Semi Finalist {{Cite web |title=The 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalists |url=https://www.jamesbeard.org/stories/the-2025-james-beard-award-semifinalists |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=www.jamesbeard.org |language=en}}

2025 TIME "100 Best places in the World"{{Cite web |date=2025-03-13 |title=Vinai: World's Greatest Places 2025 |url=https://time.com/collections/worlds-greatest-places-2025/7263151/vinai/ |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=TIME |language=en}}

In 2019, Minneapolis St Paul Magazine named Vang Chef of the Year.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-07 |title=Videos |url=https://www.fox9.com/video/652564 |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul |language=en-US}}

In 2020, he was City Pages Outstanding Chef.{{Cite web |title=» Chef Yia Vang |url=https://www.craftinamerica.org/artist/chef-yia-vang/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=www.craftinamerica.org}}

In 2021, Francis Lam called Vang "one of America's leading voices in Hmong cooking".

In 2022, Eater: Twin Cities named Vang Chef of the Year.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Justine |date=2022-12-01 |title=Here Are the 2022 Eater Awards Winners for the Twin Cities |url=https://twincities.eater.com/2022/12/1/23484295/2022-eater-awards-winners-twin-cities-minneapolis-st-paul-best-restaurants-bars |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Eater Twin Cities |language=en}}

In 2022, he was a James Beard Award finalist, and Union Hmong Kitchen was a semifinalist.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-09 |title=Why BIPOC Chefs Are Rolling Their Eyes When You Demand Substitutions |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/yia-vang_l_626ad6d0e4b01131b12081e1 |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=HuffPost |language=en}} In 2023, he was a James Beard Award semifinalist.

Vang was named Chef of the Year by Esquire in 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-03 |title=The Best New Restaurants in America, 2024 |url=https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a62875489/best-new-restaurants-america-2024/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Esquire |language=en-US}}

In 2021, Vang became a United States citizen.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Justine |date=2021-10-20 |title=Chef Yia Vang on the Meaning and Price of Citizenship |url=https://mspmag.com/api/content/66002b20-30e9-11ec-8a74-12f1225286c6/ |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Mpls.St.Paul Magazine |language=en-us}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://unionkitchenmn.com Union Hmong Kitchen]
• [https://www.vinaimn.com Vinai]
• [https://www.instagram.com/hmonglishpod/?hl=en Hmonglish podcast on Instagram]
• [https://www.tptoriginals.org/series/relish/season/relish-season-1/ Relish, TPT series Vang hosts]

Category:Chefs from Minnesota

Category:University of Wisconsin–La Crosse alumni

Category:1984 births

Category:Living people

Category:Hmong American people from Minneapolis–Saint Paul

Category:American people of Hmong descent