In the heart of Fresno, California, a unique culinary journey is unfolding, one that bridges generations and cultures. Kristy Xiong, who emigrated from Thailand to the United States in 1992, has found a way to keep her Hmong heritage alive through the art of cooking. Her story is one of cultural preservation and community building all centered around the humble kitchen.
Xiong’s love for cooking began in her childhood home, where she and her father spent countless hours preparing meals and sharing stories. Their favorite dish, tomato chicken stir fry, was more than just food; it was a bond that transcended language and distance. “My teacher was always my dad,” Xiong recalls. “When it comes to food, I like to be creative just like him.” This creativity has led her to “create my own little worlds on plates,” a passion she now shares with the next generation.
Taste of Tradition: A Culinary Classroom
At the Fresno-based nonprofit A Hopeful Encounter Xiong has created a class called Taste of Tradition designed to teach Hmong youth the art of authentic Hmong cooking. This year-long, monthly class is divided into two sessions: one for younger chefs aged 8-11 and another for older chefs aged 12-18. Xiong’s goal is clear: “This class is really about getting the next generation to pick up our traditions and not lose who we are.”
Xiong emphasizes the importance of introducing children to the kitchen early on. She encourages parents to involve their kids in cooking, turning it into a bonding experience. “Instead of just saying ‘no, no, no, don’t come to the kitchen,’ I’m like, ‘why don’t we spend that time bonding together and teach[ing] and pass[ing] on my skills?’ Because we’re losing our own identity, we’re losing our own dish,” she explains.
The Hmong Journey to Fresno
The Hmong community in Fresno has a rich history that dates back to the 1970s. After the Vietnam War, Hmong immigrants fled Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, seeking refuge in the United States. The CIA had covertly recruited Hmong soldiers to fight against the spread of communism in the Secret War. According to the Minnesota Historical Society, an estimated 50,000 soldiers were killed, and over 200,000 Hmong fled their home countries as political refugees.
Today, an estimated 360,000 Hmong people live in the U.S., with a significant population in California. Fresno is home to the second-largest Hmong community in the country, following Minneapolis, Minnesota. Over 80,000 Hmong residents call the Central Valley home, with vibrant communities in Fresno, Merced, Stockton, and Sacramento counties.
Language and Culture in the Kitchen
In Xiong’s cooking class, the aroma of coconut sticky rice with purple yam wrapped in banana leaves fills the air. As she instructs her young chefs, she sprinkles phrases in both English and Hmong. For Xiong, passing on the language is crucial because it’s at risk of disappearing after decades of assimilation. Her main goal is to teach her students the names of the dishes in Hmong.
“Anywhere we go, it’s just English. Our own language is not being used enough for them to learn and speak it. For some, this is the only chance they get to practice,” Xiong says. “I want them to remember it. The youth can still learn.”
After the demonstration, the students head to their cooking stations to attempt making the dish on their own. Ten-year-old Evelyn focuses intently on getting the intricate banana leaf fold just right. “It’s pretty tricky here. But if you keep doing it, you’ll finally get the hang of it,” she says. Meanwhile, 8-year-old Yulia beams with excitement after nailing her fold. “This reminds me of a lily pad,” she exclaims as Xiong reviews her work.
Susan Xiong (no relation to Kristy) takes Yulia’s pockets and places them onto a hot griddle to finish cooking. The room slowly fills with warm, familiar aromas. “When you’re eating it, you have this sensation of like ‘oh my gosh, it’s so sweet in my mouth’ but like the smell of it…it smells so like soul food,” she says. “It just wraps you up, like it’s home.”
Susan Xiong’s 10-year-old daughter, Ondine, is the one taking the class, but she feels like she’s learning too. It’s her first time making the dish, and she’s looking forward to taking the lesson home and making more with all her kids. “I would have never gone through this process with them because the food that we eat at home, it’s more of a blend of like American cuisine with some Hmong food,” she says. “But now, at home, I get to say, ‘Hey, remember that dish? You guys want to make it?’ and that grows our love for our traditional food.”
The biggest thing, Susan Xiong says, is that the class brings their culture to the forefront. So it won’t be forgotten as generations pass. “They get to come here and they get to learn things that I won’t be able to teach them, but I know that yes, like this is part of our culture.”
That’s one reason this class is in high demand and has a waitlist every year. Registration for the next season opens up in the fall. For more information, visit the A Hopeful Encounter website or Facebook page.
