In Lao, the literal translation of setting your heart on something is to thung jai het. Embodying this saying in their everyday mantra in food, family and life is Soul Lao‘s wife and husband duo (now trio) Sabrina Boualaphanh and Eric Phothisanh, along with their biggest fan—their toddler, Willow. In the beginning of their cooking journey, the couple moved from Minnesota to the west coast, searching for purpose and identity. They traveled to Laos and Thailand in 2015 to learn how to cook Thai food, going to and from different cooking schools in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The two made everything from scratch using fresh ingredients bought at the market that day. Photisanh and Boualaphanh said that trip was eye-opening, both personally and for their careers. The couple decided to return to Minnesota in 2017 to share their food and culture with the community. Soul Lao started with local pop-ups to introduce Lao comfort food to Minnesotans. A year later, their following on social media turned into a full-blown food truck that can now be seen around the …