It has been a long road for chef Yia Vang, who started Union Hmong Kitchen as a series of pop-ups in 2017. While searching for the right space and funding, Vang became something of a media spokesperson, hosting a podcast called White on Rice, competing on Food Network’s Iron Chef, and hosting his own show on the Outdoor Channel called Feral. He also racked up a few James Beard nominations. Union Hmong Kitchen landed at Graze food hall first as a counter spot, then gained a massive fan base following two successful years at the State Fair, leading Vang to open a stand-alone restaurant in Uptown. In the coming year, Vang will finally open Vinai, a more personal finer-dining restaurant, in the former Dangerous Man Brewing space in Northeast Minneapolis.

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