The Universal Language of Food

Chef Yia Vang’s first taste of America was the sugary fizz of Coca-Cola while flying to the United States from the Ban Vinai refugee camp in Thailand when he was 4 years old, in 1988. Ban Vinai held some 45,000 of Vang’s fellow Hmong as well as other highland people, many of whom had fled the Hmong genocide in Laos. Those sips of Coke hinted at a new, unknown future — and exposed him to a world of new flavors.

Vang recalls resettling in Wisconsin, where he wished that his school lunches matched those of the other kids. Whereas they had cold-cut sandwiches with white bread, meat, and cheese perfectly stacked and sliced, he brought traditional Hmong food, such as grilled chicken on rice topped with spicy pepper sauce.

At first, cooking was a household chore that Vang did not enjoy. But it led to an epiphany of the greater role food played in his culture.

“I grew up cooking for my family. Food drew people together — this is something I noticed at a young age,” Vang says. “While other kids were out learning soccer, I was learning how to slice, dice, chop, and cook.”

These skills led to a deeper understanding of food and flavors. “The first place I worked at was Italian. The second, a high-end BBQ-and-blues place. I’d go home and eat mom and dad’s traditional food, and I’d want to infuse all these flavors together,” he says.

In 2016, Vang launched Union Hmong Kitchen as a pop-up in Minneapolis before adding a smattering of locations around the Twin Cities. He calls the effort “the opening act and an accessible way for people to get Hmong food.”

In 2024, he unveiled Vinai — a love letter to his parents and a distinctive, welcoming restaurant that embodies Vang’s belief in the connection between food and community. His ventures have earned raves in Bon Appétit and The New York Times as well as a slot on Iron Chef.

As Vang spoke with us about the universal language of food, he wove in stories that were by turns gritty, heartwarming, expansive, and multigenerational. Come, sit at our table and join the conversation.

Q&A With Yia Vang

Yia Vang  |  In all of us there’s an urge to want to share with others — stories, life experiences, moments. These things make us human. There is always a food or beverage element in that sharing. It plays the buffer.

When people get together, food is the second most important thing there. People are the first, but food jump-starts the community. If it’s not there, it feels like something is missing. People want to give to each other — even just a glass of water or a cup of coffee. As human beings, we were created for community. We aren’t meant to be alone.

EL  |  The shirts for Union Hmong Kitchen read, “Los Noj Mov.” What does this mean?

YV  |  It means “Come and eat.” It’s not a question. It is actually a declaration, which is very different. Sometimes, when you go to people’s houses, they say, “Are you hungry?” and it’s a question. We’re not asking if you’re hungry; we’re just saying “Come and eat. Come to the table.”

One of the most incredible things about that statement is a story one of our family friends tells. Growing up in Laos, when you travel to a different village, it can take you six to eight hours to walk, and you have to stop in other villages. The single [greatest] act of kindness is when families would come out and say, “Come and eat” or “Come and have a drink.”

Offering that to people is showing an act of grace, and there’s a pleading with them to come and sit at the table. That is the heart of the Hmong people, and it’s not about “Oh, do we have the right napkins or the right set of dinnerware?” It’s not about hosting an image. It is the pure heart of “Sit down with us, come to our table.”

EL  |  How did your younger years in Ban Vinai and Port Edwards, Wis., inform your philosophy of food being community?

YV  |  In Vinai, my dad worked in the butcher area. He brought back the scraps they threw away to the family. There were lines you had to stand in with your card to get rations like rice. People grew gardens in little farm areas. It was a mix of scavenging.

It was this idea that it takes a whole village, so my aunts and grandma stayed with us since everyone raised everyone. My grandma would carry me on her back.

People always want me to say, “I made my food.” I’ve told producers I’m not going to say that — I don’t ever believe this is my food. I’m just another steward of it.

For me there’s a deep level of care because of the stewardship of what was passed down to me. I hold that really deep, and I think that comes from the community I was raised in. You happen to be the next person who has to steward this, and hopefully we can raise another generation that stewards these food traditions and keeps them going.

EL  |  You’ve had some personal health challenges recently. How has that shifted your perspective on caring for yourself and eating?

YV  |  I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. On my left leg there was a muscular tear on the inside; it grew and became infected, and then my whole left quad got infected. I had to go to the hospital, and they had to cut [the infection] out. I’m now missing part of my leg and have this really cool scar.

I had to relearn how to walk. Even now it’s still a little harder for me to walk. The muscle is never going to grow back.

[As a result], I’ve had to learn how to change my diet. I’ve had to get on different meds and learn how to listen to my body instead of pushing it.

I’m very mindful of what I’m putting into my body. Everything is higher proteins, more vegetables, fewer carbs.

Meeting with the MIORA team [at Life Time] has also helped me think through how I will take care of my body. As cooks, we know that our best utensil is our body, and if we want to keep doing this for the next 20 to 30 years, we have to invest in its health. I’m excited to maximize the ways I can live a healthier life.

EL  |  What’s next for Vinai — and for you?

YV  |   I think we are happy with where we are, but we’re not satisfied. We’re going to keep pushing the envelope. Now we get to be a place where people are coming. What we’re finding out is people are coming from across the country. Vinai has become this little destination spot, but we also want to be open arms to our community here.

Charred Cabbage With Garlic-Ginger Vinaigrette

This recipe appeared on the cover of the March/April 2025 issue of Experience Life.

Makes 4 servings  •  Prep time 10 minutes  •  Cook time 35 minutes

Yia Vang’s Hilltribe Grilled Chicken

This flavorful roasted chicken is butterflied to ensure even cooking.

 Prep time 20 minutes, plus an overnight rest  •  Cook time 45 minutes to 1 hour

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Food Photographer: Terry Brennan; Food Stylist: Betsy Nelson; Yia Vang Photographer: Lauren Cutshall