2 minute read
Yia Vang of Union Kitchen
Yia Vang, Union Kitchen
Transforming Regional Cuisine, One Dish at a Time
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Matt Frank, Communication & Media Specialist
Lately, Yia Vang of Union Kitchen has had an active presence in local media platforms and at well-respected food establishments throughout the Twin Cities. Over the past two years, he's taught a series of Southeast Asian cooking classes at The Good Acre, hosted now-legendary pop-up dinners at Cook St. Paul and Lowry Hill Meats, and developed expertly crafted dishes for home-meal-kit service Local Crate. Co-founded by local chefs Yia Vang and Chris Her, Union Kitchen is a full-service culinary enterprise centered around Hmong American food. According to Vang, Hmong food is not limited to specific geographical products, places, or produce. Rather, it is a cooking philosophy that has been shaped by historically nomadic habits, a strong cultural connection to living off the land, and building family bonds through this relationship. Inspired by Hmong migration throughout Southeast Asia, Southern California, and the Upper Midwest, Hmong American cooking is a combination of regional cuisines, cultures, food traditions, and culinary techniques.
Union Kitchen's Chris Her and Yia Vang prepare a Hmong-inspired meal.
Born into a refugee camp in Thailand, Yia immigrated to the U.S. with his parents in 1988. Growing up as a child in Wisconsin, his parents made a concerted effort to cook family meals based on their Hmong traditions and share them around the table to nurture familial bonds. No matter how tight the household’s budget, serving nutritious, home-cooked food remained a top priority. Today, Yia credits his parents’ sacrifices and unconditional love as providing him with the necessary means to pursue cooking as a career. Through Union Kitchen, Yia shares these lessons learned in hospitality, love, sacrifice, and affection with others. He describes this work first and foremost as an homage to his mother, and a way to educate people about the historical context of food.
What makes Yia’s contribution to the local culinary scene unique is his ability to seamlessly weave together amazing food, storytelling, humility, and humor into an intimately engaging experience. Yia’s presence fills a room, not simply because of his stature, but by virtue of his passion for utilizing food as a gateway to larger conversations regarding culture and community. “Every dish has a narrative. Our cultural identities are woven through the stories told by our food,” says Yia. This vision is apparent in Union Kitchen’s practices and offerings, which reach above and beyond the simple act of cooking to an elevated level of cultural empathy and understanding.
Meet Yia Vang at Mississippi Market's Annual Member-Owner Meeting & Celebration
THURSDAY, OCT. 25 | 5:30–8:30 P.M. MIDPOINTE EVENT CENTER
Join your co-op community at our annual Member-Owner Meeting & Celebration. Come enjoy tasty food samples from some of our favorite local farmers. Meet recent Positive Change recipients to hear more about the impactful community work you’ve helped support. Guest speaker Yia Vang of Union Kitchen will discuss how every dish has a narrative that tells the story behind our cultural identities. We’ll also enjoy a delicious Hmong-inspired meal prepared by this famed local chef. Plus, hear co-op updates from your board members and general manager, and learn the results of the board election.
To reserve your tickets, visit www.msmarket.coop or Customer Service.
FEATURING
• Guest speaker and chef Yia Vang of Union Kitchen.
• A delicious Hmong-inspired meal.
• Cooperatively produced wines by Northern Vineyards Winery and Broken Clock Brewing Co-op beer.
• Meet and greet with local farmers, makers, and Positive Change recipients.
• Live acoustic music provided by Shu Lor from Thesaurus Rex.
THE MENU
• Grilled Yaki Skewers
• Fresh Lettuce Wraps
• Vermicelli Noodle Boxes
• Mississippi Market Made Desserts
Gluten-free and vegan options available.
