For more than a decade, Ann Ahmed cooked authentic, satisfying Thai food at her Lemon Grass restaurant in Brooklyn Park. When she opened Lat14 in Golden Valley in 2018 with a broader Southeast Asian menu, it was her Laotian heritage taking the stage. With Khaluna, opened in Minneapolis last year, Ahmed not only revels fully in the foods and flavors of the region, but she’s also keen to bring Minnesota along for the ride. In the back of the restaurant, Ahmed has a retail store stocked with imported lifestyle goods and unique foods. She’s also built out a separate kitchen where she teaches cooking classes using regional Asian ingredients, inviting Minnesotans to welcome Thai and Laotian cuisine into our own kitchens. 

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