‘Relish’ in the Spotlight

[Updated June 17, 2025] Twin Cities chef and restaurateur Yia Vang was in Chicago this past weekend for the James Beard Awards—which are like the Oscars of the culinary world—and he and the producers of  “Relish,” the food and culture series he hosts on Twin Cities PBS (TPT), took home the award in the Lifestyle Visual Media category.

The category “honors excellence in food-centric talk shows and lifestyle programs that explore food or beverage alongside broader societal and cultural themes.” In that category, “Relish” was chosen over “Lidia Celebrates America: Changemakers,” which also airs on PBS, and Bravo TV’s “Top Chef.”

Photo courtesy of TPT

“This recognition from the James Beard Foundation is a huge honor for our entire team at TPT,” said Vang in a release. “It’s a celebration of the stories we tell—stories about culture, community and identity through the lens of food. I’m incredibly proud to be part of a show that brings these voices to the table and shares them with the world.”

Created by TPT Producer Brittany Shrimpton and Executive Producer Amy Melin, the “Relish” series takes viewers on a culinary journey around the world, and in each episode, Vang features the global flavors and traditions that shape Minnesota’s cultural identity.

“We’re deeply honored to receive this recognition from the James Beard Foundation,” said Shrimpton in the release. “This show is the result of so many people—chefs, storytellers and community members—coming together to celebrate food as a powerful expression of culture and identity. It’s a privilege to share these stories, and to be recognized on a national stage means the world to our team at TPT.”

The idea grew from a seed that was planted during a meeting at a coffee shop. The show is about people and their stories and their relationships to the meals they cook, which are often rooted in their culture. The first episode, which aired in 2019 and clocked in at under five minutes in length, featured Vang and his mom making dumplings at her house.

Season 6, which premieres June 23, features local chefs and food makers who share their stories and culinary traditions with Vang and the viewers, showcasing fare from such things as a rustic loaf of sourdough to pastries and Bundt cake to burritos and latkes.

“One of the things I really love about ‘Relish’ and what we get to show from the Twin Cities area here is it’s so rich with culture, with history,” Vang shared at the media preview event last week at TPT. “It’s so rich with all these incredible stories that if you were to tell someone this wasn’t all in Minneapolis-St. Paul, they would probably think we were in Manhattan—but it’s actually in our own backyard here. I think that’s what makes me really proud of this show.”

Photo courtesy of TPT

It’s all about connections, says Vang. Throughout the series, he explores the ways in which cultural heritage impacts the guests’ dishes, leading to unique culinary experiences. In the premiere episode for this season, titled Somali Sambusa and Nepali Momo, for instance, people from two communities gather to create their delicious wrapped food traditions. The episode description notes: “Great food isn’t just about eating—it’s about coming together to create something special. In this episode, Chef Yia Vang explores two beloved wrapped dishes that unite families and communities.” The Mohamed sisters (Hoya Sambusa) showcase their Somali sambusas, while Rashmi Bhattachan and Sarala Kattel of Momo Dosa wrap up Nepali momo.

Photo courtesy of TPT

Each of the six new episodes features a pairing of dishes that celebrate cultural traditions and personal stories while uncovering the connections between flavor and heritage—even surprising insights into the Bundt pan. Featured chefs include Marc Heu of Marc Heu Patisserie Paris; Mike Brown and Bob Gerken from Travail; Sheila Leventhal, and Becca and Evana Kvasnik, three generations of family members behind Cecil’s Deli; and Warren Seta from Ono Hawaii Plates; among others.

• Episode 1 – Somali Sambusa and Nepali Momos
• Episode 2 – King Cake and Bundt Cake
• Episode 3 – Filipino Pancit and Mexican Burritos
• Episode 4 – Potato Latkes and Kimchi Jjigae
• Episode 5 – Sourdough Bread and Banana Tart
• Episode 6 – Hawaii’s Beef Stew and Loco Moco

All episodes of “Relish” Season 6 will be available to stream on the PBS App starting June 23, while episodes will premiere weekly on TPT 2 and the Twin Cities PBS YouTube channel.

His friendly and energetic personality on display in “Relish” is a great fit in front of the camera, and he has appeared on Netflix’s “Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend” as well as the “Stoked” Food Network digital series and hosted the Outdoor Channel’s series “Feral.”

Most people have the odd mushroom they might push to the side of a dish or will never let an olive touch their lips. But when I asked the ever-curious Vang if there is any food he won’t eat or doesn’t like, he said no. But, he admitted, there are some foods he has tried that he doesn’t feel the need to have again.

In terms of wishes for “Relish”? It would be great to be able to get more in depth, have more time to tell the stories, he says. “What has been really cool over the last six years is that every year they gave us a little more.” So what’s next, what’s bigger is to work with whatever resources given to expand on the show with perhaps longer episodes. “Time, that’s the desire, more time,” says Vang.

Photo courtesy of TPT

The Restaurateur

Chef Yia Vang’s Northeast Minneapolis restaurant, Vinai (pronounced VEE-nye), is also no stranger to accolades. It was a James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant Semifinalist 2025, and was also on TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places of 2025, on the New York Times 50 Favorite Places in America 2024, and EATER 14 Best New Restaurants in America. The restaurant is named after the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp in Thailand where his parents met and the place he was born. Vinai shares the tastes and traditions of his Hmong heritage and family.
(Click here for our previous feature on the restaurant.)