Yia Vang, the Twin Cities-based chef behind Vinai in Northeast Minneapolis, was a contestant on “Bobby’s Triple Threat” on Tuesday.
The Bobby Flay-hosted Food Network show puts a guest chef up against three in-house cooks, called titans, whom the guest must best one at a time in order to win $25,000.
Vang, called a “culinary trailblazer” by Flay, faced this season’s titans — chefs Brooke Williamson, Michael Voltaggio, and Ayecha Nurdjaja — while having dishes judged by celebrity chef and restaurateur Michael Mina.
“I’m bringing in a chef whose cooking tells a very powerful story,” Flay says while bringing Vang onto the stage.
“He’s been making a ton of buzz as a James Beard Best Chef: Midwest semifinalist two years in a row. And not to mention his restaurant won Bon Appetit’s Best New Restaurant just this year. Born as a refugee in Thailand, he’s on a mission to share his Hmong culture with the world.”
In the final round — you should probably stop reading here if you don’t want the finale spoiled — Vang took on Williamson in the only challenge where the guest is allowed to pick the two ingredients that both chefs must feature in their dish.
“I’ve been studying Brooke,” the former host of Minnesota PBS’ “Relish” said before unveiling his ingredients. “I believe that my round three ingredients will throw off Brooke. Brooke is going to remember this if not forever, at least for a long time.”
He then revealed that they were cooking with pineapple and beaver, which had the intended effect.
While Williamson bested Vang in the final round by a single point, he had banked enough points to walk away with a victory and the money.
Asked what he’d do with the winnings, Vang laughed and said: “Daddy’s got some bills to pay.”
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This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Oct 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Lifestyle section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Dining and Cooking