Campus Connection

UWL alum, Twin Cities chef Yia Vang on newest successes, accolades

A UW-La Crosse communication studies graduate finds himself in the spotlight once again as one of the Midwest’s most celebrated chefs. 

Yia Vang, ’10, the mastermind behind Twin Cities restaurants Union Hmong Kitchen and Vinai, showcased his Hmong-inspired dishes to a national audience on a recent episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” on Food Network.

“Being featured on ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’ was amazing,” Vang says. “It was fun from the production side to see how the show is done and processed through. We have done shows like this before, so we were able to keep up with the fast-paced production that this show puts on. There's a lot of prep to get ready and pre-production that has to happen before they come by. In a way, you ‘see how the sausage is made.’” 

This is not the first time Vang has been featured on the national stage. In 2022, he participated in Netflix’s “Iron Chef,” showcasing his skills in a high-pressure, timed cooking competition.  

“On ‘Diners, Drive-In and Dives,’ I learned a lot from interacting with Guy Fieri and enjoyed seeing how he envisions the scene set-up,” Vang says. “Watching him work as the host of the show was very enlightening.”

Vang hosts two food shows himself, “Relish” and “Feral.” “Relish” delves into the stories behind favorite dishes in the Twin Cities food scene, while “Feral” follows Vang as he travels the country, hunting invasive species such as Asian carp and wild hogs, and educating viewers on responsible food sourcing. 

Both shows align with Vang’s take on Hmong-inspired cuisine. 

“In Hmong culture, our DNA is intricately woven into what we eat,” Vang says. “It tells the story of where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going. No matter where Hmong people go, we make use of the produce and products around us.” 

Those who dine at any of Vang’s restaurants can see how his passion for cooking results in next-level cuisine. So it comes as no surprise that his newest restaurant, Vinai, was recently featured on New York Times’ “Best 50 Restaurants” list. 

“We’re so honored and happy to be on this list,” Vang says. “The whole team was and is very excited. This is a huge list with many great restaurants from around the country. Since we've opened, reservations have been booked out for four to five weeks. But don’t worry, we have open seats in our bar area, which I believe are the best seats in the house.” 

Vinai’s recent recognition is just one of many accolades Vang has received. In 2025, he was named a James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalist for “Best New Restaurant,” and his restaurant was also featured in TIME magazine’s “100 Best Places to Visit in the World.” 

“These two probably mean the most to me,” Vang says. “The James Beard Award is our industry’s highest honor, kind of like the Oscars for restaurants. And being on the TIME list is huge because it’s on an international level.  

“For me, being able to tell the story and show the legacy of my mom and dad through food to the literal world means a lot,” Vang continues. “They are very humble Hmong refugees who gave up everything so their children could have hope for the future. Now, over 40 years later, we can tell their story for others to know them better.”

Looking ahead, Vang is excited about his upcoming projects. The latest season of “Relish” (PBS) will air in the summer, and he is launching a new dinner collaboration series with six different chefs from around the country. 

In the new series, participating chefs will travel to Vinai and Vang will go to the visiting chef’s restaurant. Chefs will share their stories through food, and Vang will do the same at a guest restaurant, sharing their “Vernacular” across the country. 

“Growing up, we spoke Hmong at home. At school, I learned English from teachers and friends. Naturally, I became bilingual and had the best of both worlds. But it wasn’t until adulthood that I began to realize my family had been speaking with me in not just Hmong, but another language my entire life,” Vang explains. “A language complete with stories and history — food. Food is the language I speak best. And through this collaboration, we’ll speak the language of Hmong Food with chefs who’ve never heard it before.” 

Though Vang is well established in the Twin Cities, he still connects back to UWL and La Crosse, where he maintains friendships with former professors. 

“Many of my former UWL communication studies professors have joined us for dinner at our shops,” he says. “We hope to see more UWL staff come up this way to visit the newest restaurant. I’m so proud to be a UWL alumnus, part of its traditions and representing UWL in the world.” 

Yia Vang is the Executive Chef and Owner at Vinai, a new restaurant in Minneapolis, MN that
honors the past, present, and future of Hmong cooking. Vang is a trained chef with extensive
experience at top restaurants across the Twin Cities. In 2016, Vang started nationally acclaimed Union Hmong Kitchen. In July 2024, Vang opened Vinai, located in Northeast Minneapolis. Vang spearheads the kitchen at the restaurant and crafts a menu that features classic Hmong dishes that illuminates family-style, prep-heavy, and quick-serving dishes that welcome all to the table. Vang has been featured in the New York Times, National Geographic, and Bon Appetit, as well as showcased on PBS, CNN, among others.

Listen to Vang's podcast "Hmonglish," about the convergence of Hmong and American culture through the eyes of a Third Culture Hmong kid.