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Mint
02-07-2025
- General
- Mint
What is Hmong Food? All you need to know about why this cuisine is trending
Hmong cuisine is slowly getting attention beyond its immigrant roots. Once mostly confined to home kitchens and community gatherings, it's now stepping into the American culinary spotlight - particularly in Minneapolis. What makes this rise noteworthy is how little the outside world has known about it until recently. According to The New York Times, the Hmong people are a stateless indigenous group, originally from China. Over centuries, many were forced to move across Asia, settling in parts of Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. After the Vietnam War, where thousands of Hmong fought alongside the United States, many sought refuge in America. Today, Minnesota is home to one of the largest Hmong communities in the country. With their arrival came their food - a mix of influences from the regions they passed through, yet still distinct. There are similarities between Hmong cuisine and the food in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, the New York Times reported. The recent buzz around Hmong food in Minneapolis owes much to Yia Vang, a local chef who introduced his culture's dishes through Union Hmong Kitchen. What began as a pop-up in the late 2010s is now a hit at the Minnesota State Fair and local stadiums. His menu includes purple sticky rice, galabaos - the Hmong take on steamed buns - and banh mi-style sausages. These dishes combine tradition with accessibility. Their popularity grew in part due to Vang's rising profile in the media. He now hosts two TV series exploring Hmong identity and its place in America. The aim isn't just food - it's about sharing a story. And it's one that resonates more widely now. In the 1970s and '80s, many Hmong families arriving in the United States faced isolation and discrimination. 'But the community's evolving story, embodied by the warm reception, is a potent example of assimilation and acceptance,' said Lee Pao Xiong, founding director of the Center for Hmong Studies at Concordia University in St. Paul. Back in 1979, only around 2,000 Hmong people lived in Minnesota. That number has now grown to roughly 100,000. The community's presence - once overlooked - is finally gaining visibility, not just through activism or education, but through food. A1. The Hmong are a stateless ethnic group from China who migrated to Southeast Asia and later resettled in the US as refugees after the Vietnam War. A2. It shares flavours with Thai, Lao, and Vietnamese cuisine, but has unique dishes like purple sticky rice and Hmong-style steamed buns. A3. Minneapolis is a hotspot. Union Hmong Kitchen is a popular place, especially at local fairs and sports venues.
New York Times
26-06-2025
- General
- New York Times
What Is Great Hmong Food? These Twin City Chefs Have the Answer.
Yia Vang spent five years trying to open Vinai, his first full-service Hmong American restaurant. The delays, the chef has come to believe, were for the best. Time brought clarity to his mission. He repeatedly reminded himself that his efforts — disrupted by the pandemic, the unrest over the murder of George Floyd, a leg infection and seven banks who turned him down for loans — were nothing compared to the struggles of his father, Nhia Lor Vang, and mother, Pang Her Vang, who both lost their first spouses fleeing genocide in Laos after the fall of Saigon. They started a family together at Ban Vinai, the refugee camp in Thailand where Mr. Vang was born, which would give his restaurant its name. 'I just want to show the world what a bunch of broken people can do,' Mr. Yang said in 2022, following one of several disappointing setbacks for Vinai. 'My people never had a place.' Now they have two. Vinai finally opened last summer, a few months after Diane's Place, the first restaurant from Diane Moua, an accomplished Hmong American chef also raised in the Upper Midwest. Hmong are a stateless indigenous group originally from China that has been persecuted for centuries, including after fighting for the United States in the Vietnam War. The two restaurants showcasing Hmong food represent an extremely rare occurrence in American culinary arts: the emergence of a cuisine virtually unknown outside its own immigrant community, stewarded by chefs trained in Western-style restaurant kitchens. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Business Journals
23-04-2025
- Business Journals
Vinai honored on best new restaurant in the world list by Condé Nast
By submitting your information you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and User Agreement . Join the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal to unlock even more insights! Minneapolis Hmong restaurant Vinai has been ranked by Condé Nast Traveler as one of 2025's best new restaurants in the world. Minneapolis Hmong restaurant Vinai has been ranked by Condé Nast Traveler as one of 2025's best new restaurants in the world. Chef Yia Vang opened Vinai last July. Vang also is known for his restaurant Union Hmong Kitchen on Lake Street in Minneapolis. Condé Nast Traveler praised not only the restaurant's authentic Hmong cuisine, but also the inclusive community Vang has created, one that encourages exploring new cuisines and cultures. GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events The list is part of Condé Nast Traveler's 2025 Hot List, which features hospitality openings from the past year — in addition to restaurants, the list includes best new cruise ships and hotels. Besides Vinai, the magazine spotlights 32 restaurants from around the globe, including seven from the United States. All honorees on the Hot List were independently decided upon by Condé Nast Traveler editors. Vinai was recently a James Beard Award semifinalist for title of Best New Restaurant, as well as an Eater pick for Best New Restaurant in America last year. The Hmong restaurant is located in northeast Minneapolis at 1300 N.E. Second St., the former Dangerous Man Brewing space.
CBS News
01-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
New food at Target Field in 2025: Vinai, pickle pizza and more
The Twins unveiled the newest food and beverage offerings for the 2025 season ahead of Thursday's home opener at Target Field. From walleye tacos and SPAM sandwiches to boba tea and cookies, Target Field will have options for everyone. Most people come to the ballpark for a classic — the hot dog and brat. New this year, Kramarczuk's is doing a brat sampler of smaller portions with a variety of flavored meats. "I know it doesn't look like I've had a Kramarczuk's bratwurst before, but I haven't and I'll be honest with you, best thing I've had at the Taste of the Twins, all day," said Adam "Crisco" Zalusky, radio host at KS95. Target Field's main concourse will also have two new marketplace-style concession areas, where fans walk up and grab the food of their choice, from burgers, hot dogs, cheese curds, nachos and more. Then they take it to a self-serve scanner to make their purchase. Union Hmong Kitchen and Vinai owner and head chef, Yia Vang, has a new home at Target Field this year. You can find him in the Truly on Deck bar serving up sweet and sour pork. This is his fourth season partnering with the Twins, and he says he's thankful for a team that's investing back into the community. "It's always really fun when we meet people and they're like, 'We haven't been to the restaurant yet, but we tried the food at the baseball stadium,' so that means a lot. It's like an extension of our arm that has all these different reaches," Vang said. The Twins are also bringing back the Family Value Stands featuring food priced under $5. Fans who purchase tickets for Legends Landing – sections S, T, U and V) get access to an all-you-can-eat "ballpark fare experience," according to the Twins. Below is Target Field's full list of the newest food options:
