Fire, Welcome, and What We Build Together
May 12th, 2026 — Bread & Circus - 600 N Main Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 - Limited Seats
Some nights stay with you.
The Saigon-Sol dinner at BibiSol in February was one of those nights. Thirty people around having dinner together. Chef Marcela Salas and my brother Tony cooking something neither of them had ever made before. Neighbors who'd never met, leaning in over the same plates, asking each other where they were from and what they loved about this city.
I walked out of that room thinking — we have to do this again.
So we are.
What's in a Name
Lửa is the Vietnamese word for fire.
For my family, it means something specific. It's the inner fire my parents carried when they moved to Sioux Falls in 1993 with almost nothing, opened the first Vietnamese restaurant in town, and built a life here from scratch. That fire is why I'm running. It's what I bring to every conversation about this city's future — the belief that if we work hard enough and care enough, we can build something worth passing down.
Lei is the Hawaiian word for the garland of flowers given as a symbol of affection and welcome. To receive a lei is to be told: you belong here.
That's the Sioux Falls I'm fighting for. A city where every family — no matter where they started — feels woven into the fabric of this community. Where different stories don't compete with each other, but come together into something more beautiful than any one of them alone.
Lửa and Lei. Fire and welcome. That's the spirit of this dinner.
How It Came Together
After Saigon-Sol, I started thinking about what the next collaboration could look like. Who else in Sioux Falls was doing something worth celebrating? Who else had a story worth telling through food?
The answer was right in front of me.
Chef Jordan Taylor and Barry Putzke have been quietly building one of the most impressive culinary footprints in this city — Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen, En Place Catering, Pizza Cheeks, Perch. Every concept is different. Every one of them is distinctly Sioux Falls. They don't just cook well. They think about what a city needs and then build it.
I reached out. They said yes without hesitation.
Then I called Tony.
The Collaboration
Chef Tony Danh has been cooking Vietnamese food in Sioux Falls longer than most people have been paying attention. At Pho Quynh, he keeps our family's recipes alive — the same ones my parents brought when they moved here in 1993, the same ones that fed this city before Vietnamese food was something Sioux Falls knew it wanted.
Jordan brings the Pacific. Tony brings Southeast Asia. Together, they're building a four-course menu that honors both traditions without shortchanging either. That's harder to pull off than it sounds. It requires trust. It requires a willingness to let someone else's story sit alongside your own.
Watching them build this menu felt like a proof of concept for everything I believe about this city.
The Menu
Vàng (Gold) — Crispy mochiko chicken, shaved cabbage, kewpie, herbs, chili, citrus — Gold and crisp, with warmth, subtle sweetness, and fresh aromatics.
Sông (River) — Poached prawn, charred cabbage, pickled shallot, herbs, peanut, calamansi — Light, bright, and flowing. Herbs and citrus layered over delicate prawns.
Lửa(Fire) — Porchetta-style lechon, lemongrass, sticky rice, pickled vegetables in nuoc cham — Deeply roasted and aromatic, with richness cut by sharp, vibrant accents.
Lá Dứa(Pandan Leaf) — Pandan, coconut, palm sugar caramel, toasted coconut — Soft, fragrant, and cooling. An elegant coconut finish with caramel depth.
Four courses. Two chefs. One table.
Why It Matters
I'm running for City Council because I believe Sioux Falls works best when its people are in the same room.
That's not a slogan. It's something I've watched happen my whole life — in my family's restaurant, at community tables, at dinners exactly like this one. When you create the conditions for people to connect, something remarkable happens. You don't have to force it. You just have to show up.
A Vibrant Community isn't an abstract policy goal. It's what Marcela and Tony built at BibiSol in February. It's what Jordan, Barry, and Tony are building at Bread & Circus on May 12th.
It's what this city is capable of every single day — when we invest in the small businesses, the chefs, the artists, and the neighbors who give Sioux Falls its soul.
Thank You
None of this happens without the people who believe in it.
Jordan and Barry didn't have to say yes. They're busy running some of the best dining concepts in Sioux Falls. But they opened their kitchen, their team, and their time — and for that I'm genuinely grateful. That kind of generosity is exactly what I mean when I talk about a Vibrant Community. It's people showing up for each other because they care about where they live.
To Tony — thank you for saying yes again. You always do.
And to everyone who already has a ticket — we'll see you May 12th.
Join Us
Lửa & Lei is an intimate, ticketed fundraising dinner. Seats are limited.
📅 Tuesday, May 12 | 5:30–9:00 PM
📍 Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen — 600 N Main Ave, Sioux Falls
Doors open at 5:30 PM. First course begins at 6:00 PM.
Every ticket supports this campaign — and gets you a seat at a table worth being at.
It's always been our city.
Now is our moment.
Let's Rise Together. ☀️
— Vince Danh
Candidate, Sioux Falls City Council At-Large | June 2, 2026