Conversations Through Food
Growing up, we spoke Hmong at home. At school, I learned English from teachers and friends. Naturally, I became bilingual and I’ve had the best of both worlds from an early age. But it wasn’t until adulthood that I began to understand that my family had been speaking with me in not only Hmong, but another language my entire life.
A language complete with all the nuance, stories, and history that both Hmong and English also have the power to express. Moreover, a language so effective that its dependence on words is diminished by its ability to convey its meaning directly to many of your senses at once – and leave you deeply connected with its speaker.
That language, of course, is the language of Food; Food is the language that I speak best. Maybe it's your native tongue as well.
In kitchens around our state and across our country, I’ve spoken Food for countless hours with many different native speakers of Food. Speakers with grammar formed and defined in New Orleans, Laos, México (and more) –– and no matter how unfamiliar their words, speaking Food has given us a common cadence, and a common tenor, by which we understand one another.
This year, Vinai is bringing our Vernacular to kitchens across the country –– and we’re welcoming others to Vinai as well. We’ll listen as chefs speak their Food to us, and we’ll speak the language of Hmong Food with those who have never heard it before.
April 14
Johnny and Helen Jo Leach
THE TOWN COMPANY
Join us at Vinai on April 14th for a special collaborative dinner between Chef Yia, Chef Johnny, and Chef Helen Jo of The Town Company in Kansas City. The trio will prepare a coursed meal collectively expressing the “conversation” between cultures, stories, and backgrounds.
This is a One Night Only event with limited seating, so reserve your tickets now!
-
The Town Company, helmed by Executive Chef Johnny Leach, has been named a 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest. Leach intertwines rustic roots and refined beginnings in his approach to The Town Company’s menu, while also influencing its sister bar concept, Nighthawk. With both concepts, Leach infuses his hyper-seasonal philosophy into his role. Between his Oregon beginnings, residency in New York City, and reverence for Kansas City history, Leach’s background paints a picture of a dynamic career and excitement to experiment.
Leach previously worked at esteemed New York restaurants including Town, Del Posto, and Momofuku, collecting accolades and unforgettable experiences — including an appearance on David Chang’s Netflix original series, Ugly Delicious. Along the way, he forged lifelong friendships and partnerships, the greatest of which being with his wife, Helen Jo, who works alongside him as Executive Pastry Chef of The Town Company and other hotel outlets.
Executive Pastry Chef Helen Jo Leach has recently been nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef in the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards. Leach leads The Town Company’s dessert program, Hotel Kansas City’s Lobby Café, and events programs. Her Midwestern-inspired approach to pastry incorporates native ingredients and creative experimentation with the restaurant’s centerpiece hearth, bringing her extensive expertise, artistry, and enthusiasm to The Town Company’s and Hotel Kansas City’s pastry programs.Leach’s talents opened doors to work at esteemed spots like Eleven Madison Park and Del Posto – the restaurant where she met her husband. Later on, she assisted Christina Tosi in opening and building the Momofuku Milk Bar empire. After eight lively years in New York City, Leach and her husband, The Town Company’s executive chef Johnny Leach, moved to the Pacific Northwest, where her leadership shaped the dessert program at two of Gabriel Rucker’s restaurants in Portland: Little Bird Bistro and Le Pigeon. As she mastered new facets of the craft, Leach’s passion navigated her through the intensity the industry demanded.
Vernacular Series
April 14 | Chef Johnny Leach + Chef Helen Jo Leach | The Town Company
May 5 | Chef David Jackman | Wildweed
June 23 | Chef Colby Rasavong | Bad Idea
July 28 | Chef Lawrence Weeks | North of Bourbon
August 4 | Chef Nikko Cagalanan | Kultura
September 15 | Chef Johnny Curiel | Alma Fonda Fina
Date TBA | Chef Ian Boden | Maude and the Bear
Tickets for Upcoming Dinners Available Soon. Sign up to receive emails for ticket launches.
