We’re setting a new stretch goal of $90,000 to build a beautiful outdoor space at the restaurant.
This comfortable backyard area—filled with greenery and featuring an outdoor grill—will be a place for guests to gather over great food and drinks, and a space to host special gatherings.
“Cooking outside is a big part of being Hmong. It’s how we’ve always come together. Cooking outdoors is something we’ve done for generations. It’s part of our shared experience, and that’s why we want to offer it at Vinai.” —Chef Yia Vang
After four years of award-winning pop-ups—and being named Mpls.St.Paul magazine’s Chef of the Year in 2019—I’m excited to open my own restaurant in a permanent location and I need your support!
Who am I?
My name is Yia Vang. I’m a trained chef who worked in some of the Twin Cities’ best kitchens—Nighthawks, Borough, and Spoon & Stable—before starting Union Hmong Kitchen. I’m also the son of Hmong refugees. I was born in Ban Vinai, a Thai refugee camp, and moved to Wisconsin when I was 4 years old. These days, you can find me at my food trailer at Sociable Cider Werks and hosting TPT’s Relish series.
Why are we asking for your help?
Despite having the world’s largest concentration of Hmong people outside of Asia, the Hmong voice is missing from the Twin Cities food conversation. You can’t tell the story of Minnesota food without telling the story of Hmong cooking, yet many serious Minnesota foodies have never had the opportunity to try our vibrant and diverse cuisine. We are here to change that.
Our goal is to also build a space to boost the local Hmong food community. We will support local Hmong farmers through our sourcing and create a place where young Hmong food professionals can get their start.
Why a restaurant? Why now?
For the last four years, I’ve been cooking dishes my parents passed down to me through Union Hmong Kitchen, holding residencies and pop-ups across the Midwest. I’ve cooked in other people’s kitchens, in our trailer, in the heat, rain, and freezing cold. But now, I want to continue to tell my parents’ story with a restaurant experience that truly reflects what they taught me about creating community and sharing hospitality. Named after the Thai refugee camp where my parents met (and I was born), Vinai will be a place where friends and family come together to share dishes inspired by my family and experiences.
What is the Vinai restaurant concept?
Vinai will be a warm and welcoming restaurant located in the Twin Cities—location to be announced soon! It’s a tribute to my parents in many ways. The space will be fresh, bright and full of greenery, just like my mother decorated our house. At the heart of the kitchen will be a wood-fired grill, where we’ll prepare all our meats the way my father taught me. Our menu will feature large, shared main courses like grilled whole-fish snapper, tri-tip steak, and my Hilltribe grilled chicken served with braised mustard greens and seasoned with my mom’s hot sauce. We’ll also have small plates and vegetable side dishes made with local ingredients, and my family’s favorite dishes like Khao Poon and my mom’s steamed buns.
This is the Hmong food that I grew up with, that I have made my own, and that I’m so excited to share with you.
Hmong people are nomadic with no country of our own, but are held together by our traditions, culture, art, and cuisine. In the 1970s, many Hmong people left Asia for the United States after the Vietnam War, which is what brought me and my family to Minnesota. We now live among the largest Hmong population in the United States and, as a chef, it’s a gift to be able to celebrate our history and traditions through food.
Celebrating my parents’ legacy through food
“Hmong food tells the history of our people, and the food I make tells the history of my parents.”
My passion and craft in cooking comes from my parents—the Hmong name they gave me, Yia, even translates to “Iron Skillet.” My father, Nhia, taught me how to grill over a pit fire in our backyard. I still remember the rush I felt the first time he handed me the tongs. I want to honor my mother, Pang, with the welcoming hospitality and service offered at Vinai, and by crafting signature dishes based on what she has taught me.
What is Hmong food?
Although it draws on various Southeast Asian flavors, ingredients, and techniques, there is no singular Hmong cuisine. Hmong food is more than just a style of cooking. For me, it is a philosophy—it’s about the value of spending time together and taking care of each other. That’s why community is at the center of my vision for a restaurant.
Hmong food is also about the perfect balance of flavors—creating the “best bite.” The four elements of a Hmong meal—protein, vegetable side, rice or noodles and hot sauce—can create a limitless number of flavor experiences. We can’t wait to innovate on this cuisine and share it with you.
We need your help
We’ve got big plans! To keep our Hmong restaurant truly Hmong-owned, we need your support. We’re raising money from the community so that we can build the kind of restaurant that creates a place to celebrate the Hmong traditions and the legacy of my parents. The funds we raise here will help us build our wood-fired grill kitchen, which will be central to our menu and the cozy atmosphere of Vinai.
Help us reach $90,000!
We’re setting a new stretch goal of $90,000 to build a beautiful outdoor space at the restaurant.
This comfortable backyard area—filled with greenery and featuring an outdoor grill—will be a place for guests to gather over great food and drinks, and a space to host special gatherings.
“Cooking outside is a big part of being Hmong. It’s how we’ve always come together. Cooking outdoors is something we’ve done for generations. It’s part of our shared experience, and that’s why we want to offer it at Vinai.” —Chef Yia Vang
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As a chef and business owner, I’m starting this journey knowing that the restaurant industry faces very real and unique challenges. I’m confident that my years working in some of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities have prepared me to meet these challenges, especially through providing a high level of hospitality and service and offering delicious food centered on community. More specifically for Vinai: Opening up a new restaurant is expensive, and the fundraising goal for this campaign doesn’t cover everything it will take to build out our entire restaurant. What this campaign does do is allow Vinai to remain Hmong-owned and operated without relying solely on outside investors. The money raised in this campaign will be put towards executing at the highest level the elements essential to the vision of the Vinai kitchen and dining experience, including the wood-fired grill and — if we beat our goals — an outdoor patio. We plan to open Vinai in 2020, barring any major unanticipated hiccups or obstacles. We’ll keep our community of backers informed of all progress, including behind-the-scenes looks at our build out, design, and menu development.